Next

Starring Nicholas Cage, Julianne Moore, and Jessica Biel.

My first question, when watching this movie, is how does Nicholas Cage always manage to have such young co-stars? I mean, as a man of years, he can, upon occasion, manage to seem a decade or so younger. But Jessica Biel cannot be conceived as being two decades older. It's kind of odd and a little off-putting.

My second question: What kind of diner serves Martinis at 8 in the morning?

Apparently, the Vegas kind.

Then there's questions like, why pick up the gun that isn't yours? Why steal a car when you're only being chased by hotel security? Or why do middle-of-nowhere hotels only ever have one room left?

But as far as the movie goes, it's actually pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised. I was worried that it would be on a level with Ghost Rider, but it's closer to The Rock or Gone in 60 Seconds. The acting was a little...not half-hearted, more like 3/4. They were there, but not all the way.

The timeline of the film gets a little jumpy, but it would, in a movie about time travel. And I don't exactly understand how the "two minute" rule works, but whatever. The special effects are good, the fight sequences are fun (who doesn't like to see Nicholas Cage take a punch to the jaw?).

It does, however, have two main problems. One, the film always feels like it's building up to the main conflict. And given problem two, this never gets resolved. Problem two: the ending sucks. It's terrible, cheap, a major cheat, and rather aggravating.

Other than that, it's a good film. Really.


3/5