Friday, April 4, 2008

Next

Todd Says:

1/2 STAR



Terrible is not too strong a word for this movie. Sometimes a transparent plot can be overcome
(somewhat) by good acting. Sometimes bad acting can be overcome by strong directing and well constructed scenes. Crappy dialog is usually an insurmountable obstacle that no amount of explosions and pointless car chase sequences can do anything about. This movie was a total waste of time. The best thing I can say about it is that it is only 96 minutes long, even though it seemed longer.

I knew the basic premise going in, Nick Cage's character could see briefly into the future, and action ensues. In my mind, this could have been better: more witty banter, maybe less bullet dodging. I mean lets face it, just because you know Mr. Bad guy is going to shoot you doesn't really make you as fast as Neo. And the script must have been written by the costume designer while the writers were on strike, I've heard better dialog in Sci-Fi Channel features. I felt just like the hero of this movie from the beginning, except instead of being able to see only two minutes ahead, I could see 96 minutes ahead, and it wasn't going to turn out well for me.

So let's face it, you know you have something better to do. Don't waste your time on this one.

Alexis Says:

O Stars

Like when holding auditions, I wanted to say ‘next’ shortly after this movie began and move onto the next film in our repertoire, but instead I diligently sat through 96 minutes of far fetched action centered melodrama starring Nicholas Cage as a man who can see into the future, but only two minutes into the future, and can see every possible scenario played out in those two minutes. It’s like time traveling meets clairvoyance and still doesn’t make any sense. This movie seems thrown together and lacks everything from a good plot to digestible dialogue. The hair, make-up and costumes were also disappointing, never have such well known attractive actors and actresses been so unappealing. Cage’s character can see two minutes into the future, but only two minutes of his life, until of course he finds Jessica Biel at a diner. After a scene that is too reminiscent of Groundhog Day the two characters somehow end up in the car together on their way to Flagstaff where they end up in a hotel room for the night and need I really go on? With Biel he can see way much farther into the future, and the rest of what is left of this substandard movie ensues including another scene that seems ripped off from another better movie, A Clockwork Orange. And in the end most of the movie never really happened except you can’t go back in time 96 minutes earlier and do something else with your time.

I highly recommend that you fire Hans G. Struhar, Mr. Cage, and change your jacket and get a hair cut. If the plot weren’t so outrageous and so full of holes maybe I could stomach all the petty one liners poorly delivered by the cast, but it is so outrageous and full of gaps that I want to hurl almost every time Moore opens her mouth to speak. The movie seems jumpy and rushed and most of the action unsatisfying. The best action shots are spoiled in the preview as is most everything tolerable about this movie. So I recommend that you at most settle in for the long two minute trailer to Next, but watch something else.

The tagline for this movie is "If You can see the future, you can save it." Well, you probably can’t see the future but why don’t you just take my word to pass this movie up. There, I’ve saved 96 minutes of your future from a witless unconvincing mindbender.

Your Welcome.

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