FREEJACK

US, 1992, 110 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Hopkins, Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, Rene Russo, Jonathan Banks, Esai Morales, Amanda Plummer.
Directed by Geoff Murphy.

Freejack is a piece of science fiction with echoes of Blade runner, the Back to the Future series, Total Recall.

Emilio Estevez is a champion racing driver who is killed in an impact of car and overhead bridge. However, he is being transferred from 1991 to the year 2009. He is a `freejack'. His body will be used for an ageing tycoon of the time. However, Estevez escapes from his captors and wanders lost in time. He wanders the city, looks for old friends, escapes with his life, has a final confrontation with the tycoon and his associates.

The film could have been something of a science fiction classic like Blade runner. However, it opts for action adventure and for a young audience.

Estevez is rather low-key, reacting somewhat blandly for someone who has been lost in time. However, Mick Jagger (his first role since performance in Ned Kelly in the late '60s) enjoys himself as the chief bounty hunter. Anthony Hopkins has a brief role as the tycoon. The supporting cast includes Renee Russo as the girlfriend, Jonathan Banks as a sinister villain and Amanda Plummer, obviously enjoying herself, as an unconventional while conventional-looking nun.

The special effects are strong, so is the atmosphere and decor of the future city both in its squalor and in its affluence. The film was directed by New Zealander Geoff Murphy, best known for his New Zealand films Goodbye Porkpie, The Quiet Earth, Utu. In the United States he directed Red Knight, White King as well as Young Guns 2 (with Estevez). (Mick Jagger's wife, Jerry Hall, has a guest role as a media interviewer.

1.Entertaining futuristic science fiction? The movie traditions and conventions?

2.The film designed for a young audience? Comparisons with classics like Blade runner and the Back to the Future series?

3.The American city of the '90s, the American city of the future - the blend of squalor and affluence? The musical score?

4.The world of technology, machines, mind and spirit technology? Stunt work and special effects? The motor race, Alex's capture, the vehicle and machinery of the mercenaries? The violence, the pursuits and chases? The Spiritual Centre?

5.The title - and time and logic, travel to the future, the freejack used as a body for rich people of the future? The freejack and his fears, as a victim, lost in time?

6.The theme of Lost in Time and Back to the Future: two days versus 19 years, age and ageing, memories? The emotional victim? Pursuit, danger? The freejack to be transformed into the tycoon?

7.The opening with Alex and Julie, their relationship, love for cars, Brad and his work as an agent, the television commercials, the meetings, Alex's offhand reaction? The race, Julie's support? Establishing the characters for the period of 2009?

8.Vacendak and his machine, the bounty hunters and their uniforms? Their approach during the credits? The crew, the staging of the race and the crash, taking Alex? And the later video of the spectacular crash and Julie's grief?

9.Alex, the victim of the plan? The rebels and their attack on Vacendak and his hunters? The fight, the explosions, Alex's danger, escaping the laser transformation? Bewildered, lost? The rebels, wandering the squalid part of the city? The TV monitors and the information? The rewards? Finding the apartment, the bewildered couple, finding Brad, his luxury flat, eating with him, the squalor in the restaurant, the fights? Brad's calling the police, the confrontation and his death? The fighting and Alex's escape?

10.Alex lost in time, hiding, being caught, Vacendak and his vehicles, the chases? The crash into the river, Alex's escape? The encounter with the Eagle Man? His search for Julie?

11.His encounter with the nun, the church, the meeting, her sweetness, the gun, her language, kicking? Her helping him? Her later response when interrogated by Michelette?

12.Julie, the change in her age, appearance, her position in the firm? The encounter with Alex and her not believing him? Fear, the apartment, the door, the trap? The truth? Her helping him? The passing of the 19 years, her grief, work in the firm? Attending meetings, the clashes with Michelette? Mc Candless and the contact by video? Her helping of Alex, taking him to the bar, getting help from Morgan? Rescuing him - and the interview on TV? Her being sacked? The fight, the elevator? The final confrontation with Michelette, with Mc Candless and her disappointment?

13.Michelette, evil, the executive, his plans, the takeover, the violence? Relationship with Vacendak? Sending out the police to kill Alex? His double deals? The meeting, the shoot-outs? Trapping Alex? The betrayal of McCandless? Alex being transformed and his believing it? His death? His associates, their business style, suave businessmen of the future? The Japanese?

14.Mick Jagger as Vacendak? His screen presence, the crew, Ripper? The mission and its accomplishment? The continued pursuit of Alex, the TV communication, the chases? His admiration for Alex outsmarting him? Loyalties to McCandless? Relentlessly going on with his job, despite the rebels, the police? The battles, the final confrontation with Michelette and McCandless? The transformation? His lying to save Alex? The future?

15.Anthony Hopkins as Mc Candless, the video presence, travelling around the world, communication and commands? His spiritual centre, dead body? The visuals of the human mind and its workings? His plan, choosing Alex's body? Love for Julie? His philosophy of immortality and transformation? Destruction?

16.Alex, the experience of the transformation? His pretending to be McCandless? The interrogation, Michelette believing him, Vacendak's help? The escape with Julie - and his finding a place as an executive of the future?

17.The background characters: the couple in the apartment, Morgan at the club, the Eagle Man and his parables about eagles (and his being involved with the rebels and the shooting)? The Ripper and his assistance to Vacendak? The newswoman and her scoop in the bar with Alex drunk? Boon and his helping Alex, the escape, being shot?

18.The blend of action, thriller, science fiction, futuristic drama? The blend of the serious and the humorous?