Candid Article 20

Looper - 3 stars ***

The first thing to say about this film is that it is very clever. Even trying to explain the concept behind the plot proves rather challenging. I will, however, attempt to give it a go.

In 2072, time travel has been invented, but it is so illegal that it is used solely by the mob, controlled by an elusive character with extraordinary telekinetic powers known as The Rainmaker. When there is an undesirable to get rid of, The Rainmaker sends them back 30 years, where assassins known as Loopers are ready and waiting to kill them, thus disposing of the body, and erasing the person.

Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises), is one of these Loopers, desperately saving the silver bars he earns from killing people in order to move to France and make a life there. However, his plan is thwarted when his future self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for him to murder, and manages to escape. He has hopes of killing the Rainmaker as a child, thus preventing him growing up into the monster he becomes. So begins a chase for both old and young Joe, as young Joe is now on the run from the mob for missing his target.

I must admit, I didn’t particularly warm to the main character, young or old, but perhaps as the Loopers are supposed to be emotionless and slightly robotic that was the director’s intention. I also had trouble believing Gordon- Levitt as a hard faced hitman, probably due to the characters he has played in previous films such as 500 Days of Summer and Ten Things I Hate About You, where he was quintessentially the clumsy, lovelorn bloke. Emily Blunt puts in a solid performance, with a flawless American accent, playing the slightly confusing love interest (you’ll see what I mean if you watch the film!) and her little boy is very cute, if you ignore the freaky mind stuff he does!

The action is gripping, and there are lots of thrilling car chases and explosions, so if that is what you want in a film then you will not be disappointed. However, for those viewers that don’t like movies where you have to think a lot, or you hated Inception, then I would suggest you give this a miss. If you like a bit of mind boggling and to be left going over the plot once the credits begin to roll, then this is definitely one to watch. Not a contender for film of the year, but worth making the effort to see while it’s in the cinema.