Jumper

I watched this movie last night, even though I wasn't really in the mood to sit still. I was entertained enough by the film that I did sit and watch the whole thing through, so that's a big plus. I even wished the movie was a little longer--it's only 90 minutes long--and therein lies the rub for me. It's such an incredible concept, but it just wasn't developed as well as it deserved. I mean to me, this concept, (and really the execution of the jumps,) are on the level of The Matrix, but it was treated so poorly in my opinion.

I went ahead and watched the behind the scenes show on the movie magic of "Jumping" and the director stated he wanted the movie to be more than a special effects show. He stated that they treated the jumps within the script as matter-of-factly as possible rather than trying to make them the showcase of the film. I agree, and appreciated this approach. But where he failed was the absence of character and plot development to fill the void of downplaying the special effects. The film could have been so much more! Take for example in The Matrix, even though the film was an action film, it was truly a love story. And while there is a beautiful love interest in Jumper, I never really invested in the characters. So frustrating!

Hayden Christensen plays the main character who, after falling through the ice of a frozen river, discovers that he can essentially teleport. Of course this ability brings certain benefits to life, but it also alienates him from the rest of the "normal" people. And as it turns out, it also sets him diametrically opposed to a secret society that thinks people with the ability to jump should be rooted out and destroyed, a la witch hunt. And thus we have the major plot premise. The bad guy is played by Samuel L. Jackson--not my favorite film of his. He was tolerable, but the role was tired on him. I think a new face would really have helped stabilize the movie.

Rachel Bilson provides the lovely love interest, and she really steps to the plate. She's probably my favorite character in the film. Delightfully grounded, and ever so easy on the eyes, she does a great job of bringing life to Christensen's girlfriend. As a mere mortal, her life is in danger as the bad guys try to get to the good guys through her. Does she survive? You'll have to watch and see!

I'd love to see more Jumper films, and maybe with a little more depth.