if you utilize time travel in any film, you're essentially holding a hole puncher directly at your movie. looper, proves this universal law by manipulating time travel for it's hollywood purpose and in the process creates a lot of plotholes, and i mean A LOT. it will alienate you throughout.
the first half of the movie is well-done cyberpunk, whilst the second half is an awkward love affair on a farm as we wait for bruce willis to show up.
looking back on it, i wish it took itself in a few different directions, like:
NOT TAKING PLACE ON A FUCKING FARM FOR AN HOUR.
sorry, but it just completely belies the stylish sci-fi buildup at the start. we're introduced to this intriguing new world in a distant future with seedy underbellies and fabricated lore, so why not keep it going... why farm? FARM?!?!? 6/10
A solid, somewhat interesting, somewhat gory action-fest that lives up to its premise and offers a fun 2 hours of mind-stretching time travel possibilities. Still feels like it's lacking just a little something, but the acting, FX and makeup and general storytelling are quite solid. It does feel slightly long and like it slightly cheats in its ending, but it's a solid film that should be sought out and enjoyed by sci-fi fans.
I had high hopes for this, particularly following Rian Johnson's superb "Brick", and it's good to see some blockbusting, (mostly) smart sci-fi on the big screen but Looper is very far from perfect - an entertaining ride for sure, but the plot isn't tight enough and falls apart under scrutiny, which is a great shame and not deflected by Old Joe's flippant comment in the diner about not bothering to explain the time travel... he won't because he can't - the screenplay cheats. Putting that aside the film really comes into it's own in the second half where we meet Sara and Cid and some emotions come into play - the scenes of revelations and consequences surrounding them are great sci-fi cinema. My biggest problem was the distracting make up job to make Joseph Gordon Levitt look like Bruce Willis - he manages a decent impression but his face and eyes just look wrong, not much use when you're the main character. Personally I wish they'd just used one actor - Levitt, or someone else, and aged him convincingly and pulled off some split screen SFX, or dropped the lookalike convention entirely... would anyone have really cared? All in all a very entertaining film, but no classic.
The first hour of this film is very good, but as it goes on, it soon becomes clear that it cannot deliver on the resolution of the complex time travel shenanigans it has set up. By the time the movie was finished, I found myself disappointed by a weak ending and the way that the time travel logic in the film was self-contradictory and changed depending on what the plot required.
I got distracted by some plot holes and by the way they used makeup on Joseph G-L. Great idea story-wise, but not the absolute best execution. Don't think I'd see it again.
people complained about the use of time travel but imagine the shit it would have caused if used for other purposes. this was the safest most reliable way of making sure nothing happened
many layers to the story and excellent acting make this fresh and incredibly good. my only problem is how predictable this goes sometimes. certain things you just know will happen or will be revealed. and the makeup thing was amazingly well done.
Good movies. Not exactly water-tight as far as time traveling movies go but it's definitely intriguing and very smart for an action flick. Shame about the facial prosthetics on Gordon-Levitt though. Especially to get him to look not even remotely like Willis.
Big respect to Rian Johnson for creating a movie like this from scratch and not just being another Hollywood boy for hire, but let's face it, as far as big money sci-fi action-thinkers go, Looper is simply not Children of Men-caliber. 7/10
Having seen Brick and loved it, I'd surely know what to expect. Rian Johnson once again impressed me. And I see a little manga references, a little of Akira there, some Urasawa Naoki there. Best Sci Fi of this year absolutely. Prometheus step aside please.
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 15 of 78
Jinkla
if you utilize time travel in any film, you're essentially holding a hole puncher directly at your movie. looper, proves this universal law by manipulating time travel for it's hollywood purpose and in the process creates a lot of plotholes, and i mean A LOT. it will alienate you throughout.the first half of the movie is well-done cyberpunk, whilst the second half is an awkward love affair on a farm as we wait for bruce willis to show up.
looking back on it, i wish it took itself in a few different directions, like:
NOT TAKING PLACE ON A FUCKING FARM FOR AN HOUR.
sorry, but it just completely belies the stylish sci-fi buildup at the start. we're introduced to this intriguing new world in a distant future with seedy underbellies and fabricated lore, so why not keep it going... why farm? FARM?!?!? 6/10
SilentJoe13
I wonder how well Bruce Willis would do giving a Joseph-Gordon Levitt impression...frankqb
A solid, somewhat interesting, somewhat gory action-fest that lives up to its premise and offers a fun 2 hours of mind-stretching time travel possibilities. Still feels like it's lacking just a little something, but the acting, FX and makeup and general storytelling are quite solid. It does feel slightly long and like it slightly cheats in its ending, but it's a solid film that should be sought out and enjoyed by sci-fi fans.4 stars out of 5
God
Refreshing to see something great that's not a remake, sequel or prequel.dombrewer
I had high hopes for this, particularly following Rian Johnson's superb "Brick", and it's good to see some blockbusting, (mostly) smart sci-fi on the big screen but Looper is very far from perfect - an entertaining ride for sure, but the plot isn't tight enough and falls apart under scrutiny, which is a great shame and not deflected by Old Joe's flippant comment in the diner about not bothering to explain the time travel... he won't because he can't - the screenplay cheats. Putting that aside the film really comes into it's own in the second half where we meet Sara and Cid and some emotions come into play - the scenes of revelations and consequences surrounding them are great sci-fi cinema. My biggest problem was the distracting make up job to make Joseph Gordon Levitt look like Bruce Willis - he manages a decent impression but his face and eyes just look wrong, not much use when you're the main character. Personally I wish they'd just used one actor - Levitt, or someone else, and aged him convincingly and pulled off some split screen SFX, or dropped the lookalike convention entirely... would anyone have really cared? All in all a very entertaining film, but no classic.dpanter
A lot better than expected. I really enjoyed it, even with some major logic holes in the premise. Nothing to complain about once you swallow that.It's clearly a movie that upsets emotions. The comments here range from 'best movie ever' to 'worst movie ever' with everything in between.
ChrisReynolds
The first hour of this film is very good, but as it goes on, it soon becomes clear that it cannot deliver on the resolution of the complex time travel shenanigans it has set up. By the time the movie was finished, I found myself disappointed by a weak ending and the way that the time travel logic in the film was self-contradictory and changed depending on what the plot required.jhhayes
I'm not crazy about sci-fi films, but I really enjoyed this. It's a very entertaining thought provoking mind bender.annavision
I got distracted by some plot holes and by the way they used makeup on Joseph G-L. Great idea story-wise, but not the absolute best execution. Don't think I'd see it again.grit
"Mediocre at best" and giving it an 8? That is kind of sillyRigters
What a piece of originality here!Loved it, great story, great acting (specially for JGL and the kid). Great sci-fi and one of the best movies of 2012.
aniforprez
brilliant!many layers to the story and excellent acting make this fresh and incredibly good. my only problem is how predictable this goes sometimes. certain things you just know will happen or will be revealed. and the makeup thing was amazingly well done.
BadFluffy
Good movies. Not exactly water-tight as far as time traveling movies go but it's definitely intriguing and very smart for an action flick. Shame about the facial prosthetics on Gordon-Levitt though. Especially to get him to look not even remotely like Willis.devilsadvocado
Big respect to Rian Johnson for creating a movie like this from scratch and not just being another Hollywood boy for hire, but let's face it, as far as big money sci-fi action-thinkers go, Looper is simply not Children of Men-caliber. 7/10dondyarizona
Having seen Brick and loved it, I'd surely know what to expect. Rian Johnson once again impressed me. And I see a little manga references, a little of Akira there, some Urasawa Naoki there. Best Sci Fi of this year absolutely. Prometheus step aside please.Showing items 1 – 15 of 78