Looper

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars alongside his future self Bruce Willis in this sci-fi classic to be, Looper.

Joe Simmons (Levitt) is one of many cohorts affiliated with a criminal organisation running Loopers; assigned hit-men of the present who gain wealthy lifestyles through assassinating criminals who are sent from the future be shot an wiped in the outskirts of Kansas City. The organisation is altered through the use of time travel, invented in the thirty years ahead. The mob of 2074 sees the machine beneficial in terms of body disposal. Once the target is sent back to the year 2044, it is placed in the hands of Joe and Co to finish the task.

Kansas is home to the strangest of folks with a major decline in poverty as well as a fascinating trend of telekinesis. Abe (Jeff Daniels) who is head of Loopers, feeds off the low class of 2044 Kansas.

To Abe's disgust, Seth (Paul Dano)lets his target slip, leaving an outcry for him to be captured. Joe hesitates in covering for Seth however he finds a portrayal to come as Seth reveals the danger of the current Loopers as a future figure head calls for all Loopers to be closed - meaning their future self is next to appear which will leave them ultimiately terminated.

Joe is faced with the ultimate task when he is faced with killing himself, Bruce Willis. Joe suffers a similar consequence to Seth as he too lets his target escape, resulting in a chase of cat and mouse involving the mob and an older but much wiser Joe.

Joe; "I work as a specialized assassin, in an outfit called the Loopers. When my organization from the future wants someone to die, they zap them back to me and I eliminate the target from the future. The only rule is: never let your target escape... even if your target is you."

Older Joe follows is on a path to destruction as he sets on seeking the "Rainmaker"; the future figure involved in closing all the Loopers. The concept is blended between a general mix of future scenes and future flashbacks if you like, painting a picture of Old Joe's life from crime to love. Destined to make his future current, Old Joe is hell bent on changing the perception of his younger self, even if it means the introduction of Sarah (Emily Blunt). Sarah is caught up in a convenient piece to a time travelling puzzle.

Looper begins at great pace, offering a classic ingredient of science fiction, a genre we have recently come to forget. It is obvious to see the comparison of movies such as The Matrix, but it should take pride in enhancing its own premise. Time travel has been done before but not like this. Looper took this concept and kept focus keeping any possible exaggeration in tact.

The onscreen chemistry between Willis and Levitt is delightful. It is when they both sit across from each other for the first time you realise the hype surrounding Joseph's Die-hard resemblance. The interactions between Joe and Sarah shine nicely as it took aim in slowing down the movie, focusing on what is a potential romance that intervenes in what feels like an appropriate time.

Looper is an intelligent movie, creating some what a less confusing direction towards what many people believe time travel to be quite mindless, Inception and Donnie Darko are examples of showcasing a timetravel premise. Both fantastic films in their own way, although it still takes me some time to get to grips with the apparent aim of those movies. Inception was known for it's mind boggling asset, leaving Nolan to let the viewer decide. Let's just say you can enjoy Looper without any long-term debates.

Is it what the critics say; 2012's Matrix? No, I believe Inception was 2010's Matrix, and you can't have a film every year relating to the same film can we?

Director Rian Johnson made this movie his own, just like when Nolan got a hold of Inception. Not many directors and writers succeed in creating a time travel concept following the success of previous creations, however Rian has put together something original, with a not-so original cast, and made what could be my film of the year thus far.

Overall: Not only do the performances from Levitt and Willis make this enjoyable, the all round dark and twisted concept rates this as one of the best sci-fi thrillers of the last 10 years! It rocked!

9/10