Next (2007)

Director:

Lee Tamahori

Writers (WGA):

Gary Goldman (screenplay) and
Jonathan Hensleigh (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 April 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

If you can see the future, you can save it.

Plot:

A Las Vegas magician who can see into the future is pursued by FBI agents seeking to use his abilities to prevent a nuclear terrorist attack.

Plot Keywords:

Hit In The Face | Seeing The Future | Arizona | Clairvoyant | Gagged And Bound

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	Cris Johnson
Julianne Moore	...	Callie Ferris
Jessica Biel	...	Liz Cooper
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Mr. Smith
Tory Kittles	...	Cavanaugh
José Zúñiga	...	Security Chief Roybal (as Jose Zuniga)
Jim Beaver	...	Wisdom
Jason Butler Harner	...	Jeff Baines
Michael Trucco	...	Kendall
Enzo Cilenti	...	Mr. Jones
Laetitia Danielle	...	Miss Brown
Nicolas Pajon	...	Mr. Green
Sergej Trifunovic	...	Mr. White
Charles Chun	...	Davis
Patricia Prata	...	Showgirl

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, and some language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Sweden:11 | Finland:K-15 | Denmark:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:16 | Ireland:12A | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | South Africa:10V (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | Malaysia:U | Netherlands:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Italy:T | South Africa:13V (original rating) | Australia:M | Norway:15 | UK:12 (DVD rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42014) | South Korea:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | UK:12A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Initial Entertainment Group (IEG)

Trivia:

The film's translation in Russia is "The Prophet"

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Early in the film Johnson walks into a casino off of Fremont street in the heart of Las Vegas. Upon exiting the casino later, however, he finds himself just off the Las Vegas Strip across from Paris Hotel and Casino approximately 2 ½ miles away from Fremont street.

Quotes:

Cris Johnson: [Chris knows he's about to be punched by Liz’s stalker. Gritting his teeth] Incoming!
[Gets punched in the face]

Movie Connections:

References "The Munsters" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Strange Brew

Good. Not cheesy, Not overblown. Just pretty darn good.

Cris Johnson has the ability to see 2 minutes into his own future. He works a low-level magic act in Las Vegas with this secret ability and also makes money gambling. However, an FBI Agent sees his uncanny ability to foresee the immediate future and tries to get him to foil a terrorist plot.

The basic plot outline above isn't wholly exciting and can initially smell of outdated Cold War plot lines. And seeing that it is in the hands of Hollywood in the form of big budget action vehicle it will definitely turn many viewers off. The recent highly contrived sci-fi action movie "Deja Vu" is also another potential unfair strike against this movie. But, be clear of doubt, this film is actually good and it succeeds in being intriguing and not cheesy at the same time - completely unlike the "Deja Vu." "Next" leaves a lot to the audience's imagination and certain things are there just for you to accept on the basis that this is a movie - no lengthy pseudo-science speeches here. The movie also makes very good use of computer effects - there aren't many and the few that there are, aren't awful looking like director Lee Tamahori's last feature "XXX: The State of the Union." Johnson's clairvoyance is shown in a clever way and the story takes several nice turns. There is the stock Hollywood romantic angle here, but cheesiness is mercifully spared as it is not over done, but actually played out humorously in certain scenes.

Then the kicker is the ending, which I dare not give away, and it is a real breath of fresh air. It leaves you a lot to think about and that ultimately ends this film with, not a bang which many people might expect from a big-budget action-fest. No, definitely not a bang, but a hum. That hum will stay with you for a while after you finish watching as you think about what happened and what may still happen. --- 8/10

Rated PG-13 for violence