Displaying items by tag: Jose Zuniga

NEXT

US, 2007, 96 minutes, Colour.

Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biehl, Thomas Kretschmann, Tory Kittles, Jose Zuniga.

Directed by Lee Tamahori.

Philip K. Dick has become more and more popular over the last quarter of a century, especially since the release of Blade Runner which was based on one of his stories. In recent years, we have had quite a few film versions, especially Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report. Most of the versions seem to be aiming less at being a classic than offering conventional entertainment with a dash of science-fiction and futuristic reflection. There was Imposter, with Gary Sinise and John Woo’s Paycheck with Ben Affleck.

Next is in this category rather than a chapter in the science-fiction movie books. It is directed by New Zealand director, Lee Tamahori, whose excellent Once Were Warriors gave him an entrée to Hollywood where he went into slambang and smasheroo mode with The Edge, the James Bond film Die, Another Day, Along Came a Spider and xXx: The Next Level. This is what he does well and this is how he presents Next.

Nicolas Cage is a small-time Las Vegas magician and mentalist but we soon learn that he is a Philip Dick character because he is able to see two minutes ahead (no more) of what is going to happen to him. This

works well on stage – and in the casinos. It also helps him avoid punches and bullets. However, with a nuclear bomb about to explode somewhere in America, his ability comes to the attention of the FBI. They want to recruit him to prevent the detonation. All would be well but he is involved with the woman of his dreams (or of his, by exception of the two minute rule, long term vision), Jessica Biel. The foreign agents are after him so they will use her to stop him working with the FBI. This description sounds a bit slow in comparison with what is up there on the screen. Editing is fast paced.

There are explosions and chases, confrontations and shootouts and plenty of effects and stunt-work. What is inventive is the sudden insertion of deadly situations followed by what really happens two minutes later.

When the magician has to quickly search a warehouse at the end, he splits into many versions of himself (like the villainous Mr Smith of The Matrix).

Julianne Moore is the tough and almost relentless agent. This 2007 film seems to relish role reversal and feminist achievement. In the past, the Cage character might well have been a woman with visions and the Moore character a tough and macho male, so it is interesting to see the vice versa.

The written story is set in the future. The producers (rightly) saw that it might play more effectively on screen in the present.

1. Title? The works of Philip K. Dick, the film versions? Science-fiction, fantasy? Futuristic?
2. Screen presence of Nicolas Cage over the decades, action hero?
3. The title, Chris Johnson and his gift, foreseeing two minutes? The advantages, the drawbacks? In his life, the magician, Las Vegas, gambling? Going to the diner each day, the vision of Liz Cooper?
4. Kelly Ferris, the FBI, agents, the French terrorists, the nuclear bomb, Kelly and her character, leadership, action? Pursuing Chris? His eluding her?
5. The terrorists, going to the casino, interrogating the manager, killing him? Learning about Chris? The continued pursuit?
6. Liz, in the visions, Chris foreseeing her future, more than two minutes? The consequences? The encounter, her boyfriend? Aggressive? The possibilities, Chris’s choices, Kelly and her pursuit?
7. The FBI, the authorities, the nuclear weapons, to Los Angeles? The terrorists and their team work, pursuit?
8. Kelly, the encounter with Liz, persuading her, Chris and the truth?
9. Chris, evading the terrace, their following him? Acting and not acting? The dilemmas of the two minutes? Saving Kelly? Taking lives?
10. The FBI, taking Chris, tying him up, watching the television set, hoping for visions of the future? His seeing Liz, the bomb, escaping to rescue Liz?
11. Chris, the confrontation is the terrace, shooting, evading, the action fights, the bombs explosion in the sea?
12. Reverting to the past, the various scenarios, changing the future? Saving the day?