Looper

In the Year 2044 time travel has not yet been invented, but will be by 2074. An elite group of killers, knows as Loopers, work for the mob by killing people they send back in time from the not-so-distant future. All is going well for Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) until his “loop” (himself from the future the mob sends back to end his contract) escapes with his own agenda. From there we enter a race against time for Joe to find his loop (Bruce Willis) who intends on seeking out the head hauncho of the mob from 2074, to exact revenge.

Writer-director Rian Johnson is one of the most articulate story tellers in recent years. With only two major films to his name other than Looper, Brick and The Brothers Bloom, his forte lies in creating the unexpected, with some intricate and unexpected plot lines. Looper is no exception to this and really takes you for a spin for what you think the actual plot of the movie is. About half way through, the focus shifts from the heavily advertised one of time-travel, to a story of revenge and of a mother desperately trying to keep her son safe, while also hiding a game-changing secret. The shift occurs in a progressive way, of that of an intricate or multi-processed story, and ultimately benefits the overall message. Gordon-Levitt, who previously worked with Johnson on 2005’s Brick, has a great connection with the character, and also his future self played by Bruce Willis. The two, along with great prosthetics from the make-up department, create such tension and conflict with each other that is great to see side-by-side. Johnson also includes some incredible camera work that completely enthralls you in the story. Nothing he does is to make a big show, but to display this strange story as interestingly as possible. The score for the film, composed by Johnson’s brother Nathan, works perfectly with the heavy tone of the film and creates scenes full of tension and immediacy, complementing the grim future displayed.

A major stepping stone in Johnson’s career, Looper displays the best of his storytelling abilities. He utilizes this complex plot to his advantage, creating a believable future with flow and progression. He creates his vision with harsh visuals and elements displaying a bleak future, oh, and did I mention telekinesis? Overall, the acting and visuals are top notch, the kid is creepy yet scared and innocent, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt and Bruce Willis? Their dynamic alone (and her accent) is worth seeing.