Jumper

First Hit: Could have been a really fun and interesting film but it comes off as ill acted, diffused, lacking substance and a waste of time.

I didn’t think much of Hayden Christensen’s acting in his Star Wars films and thought that maybe it was just not the right film for him.

However, this film seals the deal, he can’t act. He doesn’t put much of himself on the celluloid and it is obvious. The only thing keeping this film alive is the concept of tele-transporting and the sequences of where he goes.

David (played by Hayden) is a lost young man in high school when an event, where he almost dies, prompts him to tap an unknown power to wish himself to somewhere else. While confused about what happened to him, he tests himself and learns that he can do this without being threatened with death. With this new found power he leaves home and goes to live on his own at age 15.

He robs banks by transporting (jumps) himself inside the safe, takes the money and jumps himself back out again. We spend time watching him jump from place to place with not much care in the world. At this point in the film I got really bored.

Then we discover there are people who “hate” people who can do this "jumping" and are out to kill jumpers. No there isn’t any history or buildup to these new characters and why there is this intense hatred. This jolting introduction also brings us the understanding that there are more jumpers.

So now we have jumpers and people who hate jumpers and we never know why. The leader of the we hate jumpers group is a man named Roland (played by Samuel L. Jackson). The little we learn is that this war (between the jumpers and the jumper haters) has been going on for thousands of years. Then we get the odd twist that David’s mother is one of these jumper haters and that is why she left him and his dad when he was 5 years old. She wanted to protect him.

There is one semi bright light in this confusing film and that is Jamie Bell (who plays Griffin), another jumper. He has enough intensity for both of them and seems to have some homework about jumpers and the jumper haters.

Overall: This is one mixed up travelogue that was basically a waste of time. What is sad about this is that this could have been a good film if some real thought, writing, direction, and acting would have gone into it.

In Bruges

First Hit: A great and wonderful execution of two genres, comedy and dramatic action, into a single film.

Martin McDonagh wrote and directed this outstanding, well executed film. The characters are well defined through their dialogue.

There are three main characters Ray (played by Colin Farrell), Ken (played by Brendan Gleeson), and Harry (played by Ralph Fiennes) who are criminals and live by a certain code. Each person has their role in this small time criminal organization which exists to eliminate people.

The film begins with Ray and Ken arriving in Bruges with Ray calling the town a “shit hole”. As the film unfolds you learn that they have just murdered a priest, as instructed to by Harry, and are hanging out in Bruges as Harry requested until the heat dies down.

However, as you also learn this isn’t the only reason they are in Bruges. When Ray shot the priest he also accidently killed a child and as the film unfolds, this act is starting to affect him and is the reason they are in Bruges.

The comedy is pointed, fearless, and always through their view of the world and their reaction to stereotypes. The acting is outstanding on all counts, especially Colin Farrell, and there wasn’t a dull moment in this film.

Overall: This film was well written, paced, directed, and acted.

The Bucket List

First Hit: There was little realism in the story to support the contention of the men having only 6 to 12 months to live, especially in their post hospitalization release; however the lessons shared and how laughter can make things better were, at times, spot on.

Jack Nicholson as Edward Cole and Morgan Freeman as Carter Chambers are two older men who find themselves as roommates in one of Edward’s hospitals.

Carter is the kind, more centered person and Ed is the hard driving self centered person. Did they type cast this movie or what. This difference in personalities becomes their greatest gift to each other when they both discover they have 6 months to a year to live. Together they make a “Bucket List” of things to do before they die.

Using background shots (Don’t think they even left LA), their adventures took them to various locations around the world including Africa, India, Egypt, and China.

After completing most of the items on the list, Carter decides he must get home to see and connect with his wife and family. Ed on the other hand returns to his big empty modern home and goes through a crying fit in front of two younger women.

Carter dies and at his service, Ed gives a wonderful eulogy which shows how he was touched by the experience and then reads a letter left to him from Carter.

The letter asks him to do one more thing.

Overall: The film made little attempt to embrace realism; however there is enough material with these two great actors to keep your attention, make you laugh, and give pause to one’s own bucket list.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

First Hit: Although the film was fairly well paced, the content was weak and the story line predictable.

Being the second in this series (Yes, the third is already looming – think “Page 47” of the Book of Secrets); I knew what to expect from this film.

Nicolas Cage, as Ben Gates, is a treasure hunter and defender of honor who is on a mission to uncover the mystery of 18 missing pages from the assassin John Wilkes Booth’s diary to save the reputation of his father. In doing so he uncovers more including the possibility that there is a city of gold hidden in the United States.

He also learns there is a Book of Secrets which is passed on to each President by the previous President. To get to the bottom of everything, Cage (as Ben Gates) decides he must kidnap the President to coax him into letting him look at the Book of Secrets.

Because of the kidnapping Gates is being chased by the government. Ed Harris, as Mitch Wilkinson, is also chasing Gates because he believes that Gates knows where the golden city is hidden. Gates, by piecing together information from wooden planks hidden in desks and from the Book of Secrets, knows exactly where to find the city of gold. Sound confusing? 

I think so and it was made this way to create a thrilling story.

To this end, the story line is neither thrilling or interesting but the plot does keep the film moving along with a usual Hollywood ending.

Overall: This is a video film because there isn’t much gained by seeing it on the big screen, it just isn’t big enough.

Hitman

First Hit: Very little substance and after learning that it’s based on a video game, it doesn’t surprise me.

There is a somewhat interesting premise to this story however the writing, direction and acting doesn’t delve deep enough to make the story come alive.

We get a brief look in the opening moments of the film as to how these orphaned kids are trained to be hitmen. When they are ready they are given a bar code tattoo on the back of their head. Upon graduation the non-feeling hit men receive instructions on whom to kill from “The Agency.”

The story in this film is a bit convoluted and unrealistic but it serves its purpose to provide a vehicle to spend time with one of the hit men (Agent 47) played by Timothy Olyphant. Unfortunately, Olyphant has the occasional look and body movement of a good hitman but when he opens his mouth is when we can see through him. His acting chops end with dialogue in this film.

One saving grace in this film is Olga Kurylenko who plays Nika the kept girlfriend of the man Agent 47 is supposed to hit. He kidnaps her to save her from being killed (because she knows too much) by the Russian military.

In her open frankness she somehow touches Agent 47’s heart which is suppose to make him human after all. That isn’t the case but she does bring some levity, fun and beauty to the film.

Overall: Maybe a video rental if you are bored one night or like playing the video game “Hitman” and want to see someone’s film rendition.