Movie Review: Next by ME

Title: Next
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Tory Kittles, Michael Trucco
Directed By: Lee Tamahori
Produced By: Gary Goldman, Jason Koornick (II), Ben Walsbren
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller and Adaptation
Release Date: April 27th, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, and some language.
Distributors: Paramount Pictures

Based on Phillip K. Dicks short story The Golden Man, Next is the story of Cris Johnson, a magician with a talent that allows him to see into the near future. FBI agent Callie Ferris wants his help to find a stolen nuclear bomb but Cris just wants to find his soul mate. Enter Jessica Biel as Liz. For some reason Cris can see farther than two minutes in regards to her. Why, who knows? Liz gets kidnapped by the baddies and used as a decoy to draw attention away from the bomb. Can Chris and Callie save Liz and the world? Who cares?

Next is a perfect example of a good movie ruined by a horrible ending. If I didn't know better, I would say that I had saw a test screening and not a press screening. With some great effects and some that aren't so great, and an ending that just left me feeling cheap and used, Next will not be the next hit for Cage and Co.

***SPOILER ALERT***

I can't go on without telling it as it is. The last 45 minutes or so of the movie never happened. Yep, that's right. Cris was just looking into the future. Which I don't mind so much as they established that when dealing with Liz, he can see further than two minutes. What I can't stand is that after that big reveal, he decides to do things differently and help Ferris from that point and that is the end. We never find out how things actually turn out!

***END SPOILER***

Cage plays the everyman very well. He isn't extremely handsome, doesn't have a radio announcer voice, but he does have a bit of charisma. In Next he is a bit of a schlub (you have to be to be a performer in Vegas don't you?) and is not above using his ability for personal gain. Julianne Moore isn't quite on top of her game here but with a plot as out there as this one it doesn't really harm the overall effect of the film. Biels performance is good but lacking development and I find it kind of absurd that she falls in love for Cris in one day and is willing to wait a week or even a month for him, but that is a standard in movies today.

All in all a very frustrating film because it really tries to be a good movie. It just needs an extra 15 minutes to finish everything up. I cannot recommend this movie whole heartedly but if you do decide to see it be warned that you may find the end extremely disappointing. It actually ruined the film for me.

(Insert something witty here)
Keep reading,
Mitch E.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com