Looper Review

Looper tells the story of a young man named Joe who works as a hitman for the mafia in the future. Targets from the even further future are sent to him to kill and despose of all traces that they existed. When the mafia chooses to end the contract with a Looper, they "close the loop" send back the target's future self to kill along with a payment of gold, and knowledge that they only have 30 years to live. When Joe is sent his future-self to kill, he hesitates, the target escapes, and both are now in trouble.

If I told you that I went into Looper with high hopes, I would be lying. From first glance, it appeared to nothing more than your run of the mill, September release, interesting concept, poor delivery, science fiction movie. Like last years stinker In Time Sure it has not one, but TWO of my favorite actors, but I thought it would be a confusing let down.

I was wrong.

Not only does Looper deliver high intensity action and phenomenal special effects, it also has substance. It answers the questions that I had about the trailers, and showcases new ideas that aren't explored as often as they should. It may ring familiar with certain tropes that are too common to you, but it makes up for it by introducing a moral dilema that causes you to think about what you would do if you were put in the same situation. It contains some rather violent, graphic images, so be advised.

Most science fiction movies don't really strike the right note with acting and heart. But when they do, you get hits like Star Wars, Logan's Run, Blade Runner, etc. While it's not anything I would expect to see pop up around awards time, Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt both deliver powerful, heartfelt performances. Rather than relying on the script, they make the roles, or should I say role, their own with acting that really lets you into their world. That's why I declare them both Andrew's Standout for this movie.

If you're looking for just a regular run of the mill movie, look else where. This movie will make you use your brain, but it is worth it. I absolutely say go for it.

B+

"Dredd" Review

In 1995 the movie "Judge Dredd" starring Sylvester Stallone came out based on the comic book of the same name. It revolves around a futuristic wasteland where the cops are "Judges" who arrest criminals, pass judgement, and sentence them on the spot. Often including execution. Judge Dredd is the most well known of the judges who is known never to take off his helmet.

Why did the concept fail the first time? Because of Sylvester Stallone. Given his star power, the studio was under the belief that he would bring automatic success. Wrong. After the first five minutes, he took off his helmet. And from that point, it became just another Stallone shooting gallery.


"Dredd" stars Karl Urban as the title judge assigned to assess a rookie pyschic as they investigate 3 homicides in the most dangerous part of Metro One. All the while, the drug kingpin Ma-Ma has her goons hunt them down in order to protect her new synthetic narcotic "Slo-Mo" which slows down the perception of reality.

Why does this version work? Because the filmmakers are making a movie based on the comic, not on the profit projections of their star. Karl Urban is no stranger to comic/sci-fi/fantasy films. You may know him best as Éomer from The Lord of The Rings Trilogy or as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy from the new Star Trek films. He gives his all because he doesn't care about appearances. He devotes his skills to crafting the character that we all know and love from the comics. He remains truthful, given the outlandish circumstances of his environment. He is not concerned with vain notions about his image, he is concerned with bringing Dredd to life. He does it for the love of the character and not the paycheck.

The plot is sound with ample character development. It not only introduces you to the characters, but shows you how they grow in such a little amount of time. Even the ones with no apparent emotions.

When I saw this movie, I saw it in 3D. I highly recommend that you do the same. The special effects make ample use of this technology, and create a visual experience unlike any other I have seen in 3D so far.

A-