A modern-day science fiction yarn from the pen of Philip K. Dick, writer of the stories which the movie classics “Blade Runner”, “Total Recall”, and “Minority Report” were based. This film, directed by Lee Tamahari (“XXX: State of the Union”), will not join that pantheon of respected futuristic flicks. While the special effects are well integrated into the action of the film, the characters appear wooden, the romance feels forced - and a little icky - while the point of the story is an artificial concept never completely resolved.
Nicolas Cage (“Ghost Rider”) stars as Cris Johnson, a magician who has his own show in Las Vegas. Cris has a special ability to see approximately two minutes into the future. He can see things before they happen and therefore plan for any contingency while making a little money on the side, by gambling. He sees a woman in a vision that he is supposed to meet, but farther into the future than he’s ever seen before. The FBI, led by Agent Ferris (Julianne Moore; “Children of Men”), takes an interest in Cris’s abilities, believing them to be legitimate. The FBI is worried about a nuclear weapon that has been smuggled into the United States, and wants to use Cris to find it. However, Cris is a reluctant helper, running from the FBI and eventually the bad guys - who learn he could undermine their plan.
Jessica Biel (TV’s “7th Heaven”) plays Liz, the love interest of Cage’s character, whom he sees in his visions. Cris’s multiple attempts to meet Liz at a diner, so as not to scare her off, feels unnatural and not charming. Cage looks a little frayed and worn in this movie and comes across as the creepy older guy hitting on the much younger Biel. Liz’s initial coldness towards this weird magician is entirely appropriate, but all too shortly she drops her guard and becomes strangely enamored by Cris. The love story may have worked better if Moore and Biel had switched roles and more time had been put into this side plot.
The primary story has the FBI needing Cris to help them solve a gradually evolving crisis. Unsatisfactorily, the psychic chooses to turn down all advances by the authorities, instead he uses his energy to run and evade them. The hero of the story, however reluctant, is supposed to eventually embrace the path he is put on - not turn away from it. Cris comes across as selfish and cowardly and the director doesn’t show the audience any justification for Cris’s fears of the government. These law enforcement officials are nowhere near as threatening as those depicted in “Minority Report”, while the alternative of a nuclear disaster feels like a legitimate reason to become involved.
Even the nuclear threat doesn’t appear to be the primary thrust of this story, as the excitement that begins building at the end, dissipates when the problem is not resolved. While movie plot devices, nicknamed “McGuffins,” are often used to justify the main characters involvement in resolving a particular crisis - the one in “Next” is so transparent it could have been anything other than a nuclear weapon. While the audience can enjoy some interesting special effects and chase sequences - when the action slows, they get the standard Nic Cage recycled performance and a sub-par story. Whatever’s next for Cage, I hope he begins learning from his movie mistakes, and starts choosing better material.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, and some language.
