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 Rated: PG-13
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, and Rachel Bilson.
Director By: Doug Liman
Bourne Identity director, Doug Liman, wasn't sure if he wanted to make an 88-minute documentary on world travel, or a sci-fi thriller to promote Dramamine. Jumper is more like the X-Men making a guest appearance as tour guides on Globe Trekker. Their form of transportation is simple enough: good, old-fashioned, er...somewhat reliable teleportation. All you need is the genetic mutation and a sense of adventure.
Unfortunately, and I say this with a heavy heart, there was too much going on and very little plot for anyone the least bit cerebral to enjoy. The viewers are briefly taken back a few years to when David Rice (Christensen) first discovers, at the tender and terrible age of fifteen, that he has a mutagenic gift for being able to teleport to any place his heart desires.
Years later, after learning how to master said gift, and financially supporting his luxurious lifestyle by teleporting into bank vaults all over the world and "borrowing" large sums of cash, he is rudely made aware of what he is—a Jumper, and those trying to kill him—Paladins.
One such Paladin, Roland (Jackson), is determined to end the existance of all Jumpers. With the help of another Jumper named Griffin (Bell), David, along with his old classmate/girlfriend Millie (Bilson) travel from place to place, trying to avoid extinction.
Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson did a good job of convincing the audience they were just regular people teleported into unusual circumstances. As for Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, and Tom Hulce, their bit parts and cameo appearances did little more than contribute to a confusing plot.
The movie overall was difficult to follow, and it wasn't until halfway into it that the audience figured out who the good guys were. For a lack of a better expression, the movie literally jumped around too much, and the visual effects during the characters' teleportation scenes were overwhelming at times...to the point the plot and flow of the story seemed more like the victim of an amateur editor's splicing job.
Final Analysis: For those who like lots of action and feel no need to follow a storyline with any real meaning, then this is the movie to see.
This Reviewer's Rating:   2 / 5
Might I suggest, that before seeing Jumper, one might want to read a very similar story by author Alfred Bester, called "The Stars My Destination" (1957), a.k.a "Tiger!, Tiger!" (1956). It is a fast-paced read of about 250 pages, and would help the Jumper viewer enjoy the movie much more. I haven't seen the movie yet, but from what the previews show, there are many similarities between this film and the novel I mentioned. When I read the book, I had heard that a movie might emerge from the story. The book was great, and so I believe that the movie will be enjoyed by all who take some time to read the story first. Enjoy!!! |
