Jumper (2008)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Doug Liman

Writers (WGA):

David S. Goyer (screenplay) and
Jim Uhls (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

anywhere is possible.

Plot:

A genetic anomaly allows a young man to teleport himself anywhere. He discovers this gift has existed for centuries and finds himself in a war that has been raging for thousands of years between "Jumpers" and those who have sworn to kill them.

Plot Keywords:

Ann Arbor | New York | Ice | Bank | Vault

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Hayden Christensen	...	David Rice
Jamie Bell	...	Griffin
Rachel Bilson	...	Millie
Diane Lane	...	Mary Rice
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Roland
Michael Rooker	...	William Rice
AnnaSophia Robb	...	Young Millie
Max Thieriot	...	Young David
Jesse James	...	Young Mark
Tom Hulce	...	Mr. Bowker
Kristen Stewart	...	Sophie
Teddy Dunn	...	Mark Kobold
Barbara Garrick	...	Ellen
Michael Winther	...	Day Bank Manager
Massimiliano Pazzaglia	...	Italian Desk Cop

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some language and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Norway:11 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44084) | Hong Kong:IIB | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Malaysia:U | Sweden:11 | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-13 | Italy:T | New Zealand:M | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Taiwan:PG-12 | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Japan:U

Filming Locations:

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The movie takes place in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The high school depicted is Huron High School, which writer David S. Goyer attended. Area teens were cast as extras for scenes in and around the school.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the closing credits, the song "Ahead By A Century," performed by The The Tragically Hip, is stated as written by Bobby Baker, Gord Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, and Robert Sinclair. Robert Sinclair's credit should be Gord Sinclair.

Quotes:

[first lines]
David Rice: Let me tell you about my day so far. Coffee in Paris, surfed the Maldives, took a little nap on Kilimanjaro. Oh, yeah, I got digits from this Polish chick in Rio. And then I jumped back for the final quarter of the N.B.A. finals--courtside of course. And all that was before lunch. I could go on, but all I'm saying is, I'm standing on top of the world.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Screenplay Series with Syd Field (2007)

Soundtrack:

Tick Tick Boom

A great idea, shame about the execution.

What would happen if you could teleport ANYWHERE in the world in the blink of an eye? Thats the question explored in Jumper, a film thats as fast and action packed as it is hollow and underdeveloped.

The films theme of individuals who can vanish and reappear anywhere they choose is a great idea but its execution is a little weak in Jumper. Why? The blame rest squarely on the films instance on being the start of a series. Instead of taking time to develop anything in the movie, Jumper just whizzes by at an incredible speed, setting up characters, ideas and plot points without expanding or resolving or developing them. The whole thing is made to kick start a franchise of films where the story would be explained in more detail, but come on man, when you pay to see a film, you expect to see a clearly defined beginning, a middle and a satisfying end- something that Jumper isn't too concerned with.

Another problem that ties in with the films lack of depth, are the actors. While Hayden Christensen is as bland as usual, the cast (including the usually electrifying Sam Jackson) just sleep walk their way through the superficial script. Only Jamie Bell gives it some effort- his cynical Irish jumper would have made a much better lead character than Anakin.

However, while the film is pretty shallow there are some glimmers of goodness. The action sequences are fun, fast and frequent, the visual effects are cool and there's never a dull moment due to the films super fast pace.

It might sound like Im being too harsh on the film but its hard not to be when the movies concept is so great and the end product is as underdeveloped as this. If the film had a more detailed, more fleshed out, more self contained story, Jumper would have been a classic.