Review of Predestination (2014) by Aaron S — 03 Feb 2015

Predestination (2015) - January is often regarded by many in film circles as Hollywood's dumping grounds for the absolute worst of its respective calendar year. With that said, more often than not, there is a diamond in the rough that shines bright amongst the soot and grime. The particular movie in question is a little science fiction film directed by brothers Michael and Peter Spierig, best known for their work on "Daybreakers" (an underrated vampire flick). The film fits squarely in the science fiction genre, starring Ethan Hawke as a Temporal Agent sent on a series of complicated time travel missions in hopes of stopping a criminal that has haunted his past, present and future; thus preventing a catastrophic attack.

My immediate take away from this movie could be summed up in the phrase "well... I haven't seen that before". At every turn this movie constantly surprised me and kept me on my toes. It's "twisty-turney" plot will likely leave some in the dust because it really doesn't allow much room for catch-up, but I think that made me appreciate it even more. It doesn't bother to pander to an audience unwilling to embrace it's non-linear format, which as a result lends itself to a guessing game that one could potentially play with the movie. It's really slick looking with great cinematography, a cool colour-grade and well designed sci-fi tech. My only real gripes with the movie really lie in its general structure. The time travel element present in the movie's world creates shifts in the linearity of the plot which at times is jarring. In the end, the ends justify the means but this doesn't help the movie much for replay value. This is a minor complaint from something this fresh and original; it was a breath of fresh air as far as I'm concerned. Most importantly, it has great writing and characters to back up the complicated (and maybe a little convoluted) plot.

Thanks to a little indie film about the growth of a boy, Ethan Hawke has been receiving well deserved attention as of late which couldn't make me happier because I've always been a fan. And this movie is certainly no less a showcase of how great Ethan Hawke is an acting presence. With that said, make no mistake, the real attention grabber in this movie is Sarah Snook. This is a star-making role for the young actress of the highest calibre with hopes of a long career because I could not get over how good she was. Without giving too much away, let's just say she had to wear multiple hats in the movie and rose above each challenge masterfully.

"Predestination" grabs you by the cuffs of your shirt and pulls you into its world violently. After a few minutes of discomfort, ultimately you want to stay because the world is actually interesting. I felt like there was still so much more I could have learned about how each of the timelines and how they correlate with one another; it's just a fun time travel movie with loads of grandiose twists that you actually can't see coming. I'd totally recommend seeking this one out, it's literally the coolest flick in theatres right now and a nice departure from the mostly depressing Oscar nominees.

GRADE: A-.