Looper

Looper (2012)
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

I saw Looper when it came to theaters and was extremely captivated by the entire premise. This is the most original idea to come out of Hollywood in years and it's a great sci fi flick too! I think what I like the most about Looper is the believability of everything. First, to start things off, lets discuss the feel of the film. Johnson has directed (and written) a tight story with likable characters (especially Pierce Gagnon's Cid). The world these characters inhabit feels like it is from the future without having to add lightsabers, spaceships, robots, or aliens. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character (Joe) drives a Miata that could easily be a "classic" 2010 model and there are converted late model vehicles all through the city. That's not to say there aren't any flying cars. Paul Dano's character (Seth) used a large chunk of his earnings to purchase a flying motorcycle which speaks volumes about his character. Next is the living spaces. There are no crazy high rises with electronic doors and retina scanners. Everything is very modern without being overkill. A large portion of the film takes place on a farm which is perhaps the least likely setting for a science fiction film (Luke's moisture farm aside). The visual effects don't get in the way of the story. Pay attention to Godron-Levitt's facial prosthetics. He really does look like a young Bruce Willis. Again, everything is very believable.

Looper, in a nutshell, is the story of Joe, a Looper, who earns a living by killing people that are sent from the future to his present day. He stands in a field and waits for the victim to appear, he shoots them with his Blunderbuss, collects the bars of silver stashed on victim as payment, burns the corpse, then goes about his day. This seems to be a great way to earn a a living. The Loopers live extravagant lives and mostly waste the money they earn. The Loopers go through their routines until the day when they get someone with gold, not silver, stashed on them. This is them closing their Loop which is their future selves. Most of the time the Looper has no idea they have closed their Loop until it is already done. Joe's story is a little different.

I absolutely love this film and I think that to skip it would be doing yourself a disservice.

No BS

Looper is an exciting film to watch. The science fiction plot is easy to digest as it is not over the top. Some of the camera work and story telling decisions might be a turnoff for some (semi non linear plot, time travel, violence, nudity) but overall the story and actor performances should be enough to engage even the most cynical viewers.

My Score: 8/10