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:

Magician | FBI Agent | FBI | Nuclear Attack | Torture

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 | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Initial Entertainment Group (IEG)

Trivia:

The "girl with necklace" at his magic show is played by Alice Kim Cage, Nicolas Cage's wife.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the film, Johnson was sitting in a diner and checked his watch on his left wrist. A moment later, when he raised his right hand to wipe sweat on his forehead, there was another watch on his right wrist.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Emcee: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the man who knows what you're going to do before you do it. The amazing Frank Cadillac!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh (2007) (V)

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