JUMPER
US, 2008, 88 minutes, Colour.
Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Michael Rooker, Anna Sophia Robb, Max Thieriot, Tom Hulce, Kristen Stewart.
Directed by Doug Lyman.
First impressions of Jumper is that it is noisy nonsense. Final impressions are that it is very noisy and non-sense nonsense.
How could this be since the director is Doug Liman (Swingers, Go and, much more in this vein, The Bourne Identity)? And the writer, David S. Goyer, has written a range of science-fiction and horror films.
The premise has promise: a group of special individuals who can move instantly throughout space, Jumpers, and a group of religious pursuers who what to destroy them, Paladins. Unfortunately, and irritatingly, very little explanation about these two groups is given. Since the film runs for only 88 minutes, they could have given more time to exposition.
Further, the hero (Hayden Christensen) who initially seems to be a pleasant nerd, suddenly becomes a self-centred hedonist who robs banks to give himself a comfortable lifestyle as he flits (only quicker) from Rome to Tokyo to Fiji… and shows that he could care less about people’s sufferings. On the other hand, he meets another Jumper, the much more sympathetic Jamie Bell who has spent most of his life eluding Paladins.
The Paladins are represented by a white-haired Samuel L. Jackson who spends most of his time pursuing our hero and his girlfriend and who does not seem to be any great heroic improvement on his target.
Lots of effects for the teleporting. Lots of tourist locations. But, to what purpose…?
1.The impact of the film? Science fiction entertainment? The universally negative critiques?
2.The Michigan locations, the ordinary city, homes, school? The contrast with Rome, the other cities around the world, Tokyo? Fiji? The travelogue aspects of the film?
3.The special effects, the teleports, the style for characters moving from one place to another? The repercussions and the ripples?
4.The need for more exposition about Jumpers and Paladins? The Paladins and their being a religious group, thinking that God had only the power, their persecuting the Jumpers throughout history? The Jumpers, their capacity for moving from place to place? An intriguing premise for a film – not fully realised?
5.The introduction to David, young, friendship with Millie, the gift, being bullied, going to get the gift, falling under the ice. His teleporting to the library? Discovery at the age of fifteen, his mother later revealing that he first travelled at five? His father and his bullying? His decision to move away, using the teleport capacity for travelling around the world, hedonistic, robbing the banks? His disregard of people’s sufferings, the floods? Completely self-absorbed? His encounter with Griffin, Griffin telling him the truth about Jumpers, the pursuit? Collaboration with Griffin, wanting to achieve by himself? Going back for Millie, in the bar, the bully at school, transporting him to the prison? His being interrogated and giving the information about David? David and his taking Millie to Rome, the dangers, the pursuit, trying to save her, her capture? Returning and finding his father injured? Millie and her being saved, finding his mother, the discussion, his mother letting him go? His future? A selfish character?
6.Roland, the persecutor, the detective work, the interrogations, trying to capture David, the confrontations, the escapes? His following Millie, going to David’s father and interrogating him? The role of the Paladins?
7.Griffin, genial, Scots accent? His jumping all through his life, knowing what was involved? Warning David, David wanting to do everything alone?
8.Millie, the young girl, work, meeting David again, going to Rome, the truth, the dangers, her being imprisoned, rescued and saved?
9.The plausibility of the plot? The intriguing premise – but not being explained or followed through? The special effects? The travelogue aspects? The graphic novel style of the film? The moral – or amoral tone of the central character?
