Movie Review: Next

Starring:
Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Thomas Kretschmann, José Zúñiga, Tory Kittles, Peter Falk

Director:
Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day)

MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, and some language.

Release Date:
April 2007

Synopsis:
Las Vegas magician Cris Johnson can see a few minutes into the future, an ability he uses to enhance his shows, and to win at blackjack. But when an FBI counterterror agent wants his help in thwarting a nuclear attack on Los Angeles, Cris finds his psychic skills put to the ultimate test. Based on Philip K. Dick's short story "The Golden Man".

My Two Cents:
Many of Philip K. Dick’s short stories have been successfully adapted to the big screen, and these include Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report and A Scanner Darkly. When I heard Next was going to be based on Dick’s “The Golden Man” I was expecting another mind-bending thriller, but the only thing that bended was the money I spent renting this garbage.

The ability to look into the future could be scary, but it could also save your life if you knew the plane you were getting on will crash, or that your favorite bank was getting robbed with you in it. This is the “gift” Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage) has, but it’s not as cool as it sounds. He can only see two minutes into the future, and can only see into his own future. So if Mt. Etna’s volcano erupts in Italy and kills thousands of people he won’t be able to see it unless he was there and was in danger.

Since he can’t be a superhero or have his own phone psychic network, he turns to Las Vegas where he becomes a magician. He uses his gift as part of his act. Apparently he doesn’t get paid much as a magician because he often hits the casino and cheats at poker, winning enough money to live and not raise suspicion. After a while the casino security does find him suspicious and targets him. When a guy intends to rob the casino and kill two people, Cris prevents him from doing it and then flees when security tries to catch him. Meanwhile, the Russians are threatening to put a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles. FBI agent Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore) somehow knows about Cris’ ability to see the future and wants him to tell her where the bomb will blow up. Cris has been harassed by scientists since he was 3 years old and refuses to cooperate.

Cris had a vision of him meeting a beautiful woman (Jessical Biel) at a diner, and he needs to meet her because this is the first time he has been able to see past two minutes. He goes to the diner every day, waiting for her, until she finally appears. He manages to make her take him with her out of Las Vegas, and during the trip he charms her and makes her fall in love with him. So what if Cage is 18 years older than Biel? Bastard…



Eventually the FBI finds them and try to force Cris to go with them to L.A. This is where the movie falls apart. You don’t really care about the bomb and are more interested in Cris and Liz’s romance, but after the FBI take Cris the movie turns into a crappy Die Hard wannabe with car chases, helicopters, countless armed men running around, snipers, explosions, and shit. It all feels disconnected. The Russians are only there as a stereotypical enemy. You don’t need clairvoyant powers to know Liz is going to be taken hostage, forcing Cris to cooperate and be able to use his powers to save the world. He is put in charge of Callie’s FBI team, telling them where snipers are, where bombs are hidden, and where the fuck to go inside a huge tanker.

The overall effects are very cheesy, and look even worse on HD DVD. The dialog is lame and so is Julianne Moore. I really like her, but she sucks so bad in this movie. Peter Falk’s cameo was sad and pointless, Nicolas Cage’s wig was laughable, Jessica Biel didn’t add anything to the movie, and worst of all the ending is a slap in the face.

It has some mildly entertaining moments here and there, probably because Nicolas Cage is likeable and Jessica Biel is hot, but it’s still not worth watching. Chances are high that the next movie you watch will be better than Next.

Score: