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Next (2007)

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250 comments in total

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105 out of 160 people found the following comment useful :-
Far more than I expected, 5 May 2007
Author: SquirePM from Birmingham, Alabama

Next is a much better movie than I expected to see, having read some of the reviews which called it disjointed and silly. Quite to the contrary, I found it deeply absorbing. I quickly picked up on the elements which must have caused some reviewers to accuse it of being disjointed, and began enjoying them. Of course silliness is part of any sci-fi story, we suspend our critical senses in that regard or we do not become sci-fi fans.

I single out one performer among a fine cast. Julianne Moore has really established herself as *the* deadpan action queen. She was a better Agent Starling than Jody Foster was, and she's a terrific, dominant presence in this film. Kudos to her for propelling herself to the top of a tough genre. She makes films more interesting to watch, by dint of her strong performances.

I read Phillip K. Dick's "The Golden Man" many years ago and still remember a lot of it. When I first began hearing about this movie I immediately flashed to it and wondered if this was a movie of that intriguing story. The answers are "yes" and "no." "The Golden Man" is a much more ordinary story, but with resounding insights on the consequences of his existence. And his skin was a compellingly attractive rich golden hue, which helped make him irresistible to women. None of that fits this new story, and was properly omitted.

What is translated so well from the written page to the screen is the government's intense interest in him (although for different reasons), its efforts to get him under official control, and the exceeding difficulty of doing so. And of course, the story ends in a wholly different way than the movie, a very satisfying and inevitable conclusion that bolsters Mr. Dick's reputation for opening the future to us.

*** OK, ONE LITTLE SPOILER ALERT *** READ NO FURTHER (unless you don't mind) ***

I just have to add, the flurry of action sequences which come like a staccato rendition of The Flight Of The Bumblebee during his escape from custody, is thoroughly delectable and brought more than one involuntary "Ha!" from the audience I saw it with, including from me. It's one of the tastiest treats in the film.

And finally, yes, I too wish I knew who the heck these terrorists were and what the heck they were trying to accomplish with their nefarious plot. But I guess that's the brave new world we live in. We just don't get to hear the bad guys' dialogue, their reasons for doing the things they do. In that way Next is giving us another insight, not dropping us cold as others have complained. The only legitimate beef I agree with is the entirely unnecessary and just plain goofy Nicholas Cage business during the final pursuit. It looks like it must have been an idea of somebody too high up among the moguls to deny, but it is a definite distraction causing "Huh? What?" moments when the action is at its most intense.

All in all, a feather in everybody's cap and a movie I fully recommend without reservation. Drama, humor, really fine action sequences, twists, great characters. As baseball great Yogi Berra once said, " Don't miss it if you can."

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156 out of 262 people found the following comment useful :-
Good. Not cheesy, Not overblown. Just pretty darn good., 28 April 2007

Author: BroadswordCallinDannyBoy from Boston, MA

Cris Johnson has the ability to see 2 minutes into his own future. He works a low-level magic act in Las Vegas with this secret ability and also makes money gambling. However, an FBI Agent sees his uncanny ability to foresee the immediate future and tries to get him to foil a terrorist plot.

The basic plot outline above isn't wholly exciting and can initially smell of outdated Cold War plot lines. And seeing that it is in the hands of Hollywood in the form of big budget action vehicle it will definitely turn many viewers off. The recent highly contrived sci-fi action movie "Deja Vu" is also another potential unfair strike against this movie. But, be clear of doubt, this film is actually good and it succeeds in being intriguing and not cheesy at the same time - completely unlike the "Deja Vu." "Next" leaves a lot to the audience's imagination and certain things are there just for you to accept on the basis that this is a movie - no lengthy pseudo-science speeches here. The movie also makes very good use of computer effects - there aren't many and the few that there are, aren't awful looking like director Lee Tamahori's last feature "XXX: The State of the Union." Johnson's clairvoyance is shown in a clever way and the story takes several nice turns. There is the stock Hollywood romantic angle here, but cheesiness is mercifully spared as it is not over done, but actually played out humorously in certain scenes.

Then the kicker is the ending, which I dare not give away, and it is a real breath of fresh air. It leaves you a lot to think about and that ultimately ends this film with, not a bang which many people might expect from a big-budget action-fest. No, definitely not a bang, but a hum. That hum will stay with you for a while after you finish watching as you think about what happened and what may still happen. --- 8/10

Rated PG-13 for violence

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123 out of 211 people found the following comment useful :-
Great mindbender, 29 April 2007

Author: Tim Hayes from Perth, Ontario, Canada

Next is one of those films that requires a second viewing. There's a lot going on and the plot doubles back on itself multiple times. Granted, there are some plot holes and some motivations are suspect, but overall it tends to entertain and keep you going more often than not.

Nicolas Cage plays Cris Johnson, a man who can see two minutes into the future and predict what will happen. The problem is that the future constantly shifts and every action will change the next future. The fact that he can only see up to 2 minutes ahead also limits him somewhat. It does however help greatly in his magic career as a Las Vegas showman. It also helps when playing small time gambling. Unfortunately, it has gotten the attention of the FBI who want Cris to help them stop a Russia nuclear bomb from being detonated on American soil.

As I said, there's a lot of backtracking in the story, which may serve to confuse some but is really important to the storyline. Cage turns in a great performance as the slightly eccentric seeming Cris. Julianne Moore is fine as a hard nosed FBI agent and Jessica Biel does all she can with a somewhat thankless role as the love interest.

Overall, I really enjoyed Next. It's a fun sci-fi film that is the perfect start of the summer season.

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61 out of 104 people found the following comment useful :-
Already seen what comes Next..., 7 May 2007

Author: Kelsey Williams from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Watching the ridiculous mess of plot holes and absurdity that is Lee Tamahori's Next invariably makes us wish we could see two-hours into the future to deem this movie a waste of time before we sit down to watch it. A slipshod work of Hollywood cliché, Next, pretends to be an interesting psychological action film trying to leave us wondering about the "what-if's" the movie proposes, when it actually only leaves us wondering how in heavens name any producer could expect us to believe that a middle-aged Nic Cage with bad hair could land Jessica Biel. Without any heart or spirit, this film relies on big bangs and a hot girl to bring the pre-pubescent boys out to spend their allowance at the box office.

Nicolas Cage, who has previously shown some signs of promise in films like Leaving in Las Vegas and Adaptation, falls even further from his former place in our esteem with his latest in a succession of cruddy movies. Hey, at least this latest entry into the club of dismal Cage doesn't ask us to believe that his head bursts into flame as he rides a motorcycle, just that he can miraculously see the future, and with this power duplicate himself, dodge bullets, avoid booby traps, and save the day all while standing in one place looking more like he has a blockage in his bowels than a blockage in his clairvoyance. Actually, come to think of it, we might prefer the flaming skull-head. After this latest installment in his addiction to bad films, we all have almost lost hope that he will go back to working on his acting rather than on his abs (which were amply visible the couple times Cage took off his shirt).

One must feel sorry for Jessica Biel and Julianne Moore, as so very little is given to them in the comic-strip writing of their characters that we can hardly be surprised when the performances come out flat and cliché. In fact, it is worth pondering, what in this movie is not cliché? The nuclear/chemical/biological weapon that was stolen by terrorists and now must be found before "8 million people die"? Nope, The Sum of All Fears, XXX, and The Peacemaker are just a few of the bevy of post-cold war movies focusing on what happens if the weapons from the build up land in the wrong hands. Maybe the hard-ass but essentially well meaning federal agent, willing to do anything to for the greater good? The Bourne Identity and most CIA or FBI based films. So, how about the clever crane shot of Las Vegas with blinding neon and the tune of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation"? Nope, Ocean's Eleven for one beat them to that one. How about the neat bullet dodging effect? Nope, The Matrix. That nifty little tool used to keep Nic Cage's eyelids open? No, A Clockwork Orange did it first. How about the concept of a guy knowing the future and thus knowing exactly where to be at exactly the right time? Sorry, that was Groundhog Day. The major dilemma of whether to sacrifice the individual for the common good? Um let's see, nearly all superhero movies most notably Spiderman and Batman Begins. Then there's also Good Will Hunting and the list goes on. How about the potentially mind-boggling ending that reveals it's all been a dream/ look into the future? There are too many to list. For the most part the film looks entirely Hollywood with whiffs of an attempt at pulpy, arty shots in which Cage is in sharp focus surrounded by an intense blur, supposedly to suggest that only Chris Johnson has a clear view of the world that to others is so blurry. But we're not fooled by the soft, all too obvious attempts at cinematic metaphor because the emblematic Hollywood action sequences with the CGI SUV's and log trucks falling from the sky or in an odd greenly lit warehouse make it abundantly clear that what may appear to be artistic attempts (albeit weak ones) in the film were bastardized by their connection with the omnipresent Hollywood conventions. Therefore, the shots that might be trying to have significance start to look like a director's obsession with sharp close-ups. The music was overpowering and didactic. Every note gave away exactly what was to happen next, if we didn't already know from seeing innumerable similar action plots prior to this one. The dialogue was strained, often ludicrous, and, of course, previously done: "I have seen every possible ending, and none of them are good for you," "There's something I have to do, and I can't put it off any longer." Not to mention the tragically botched punch-line of the old Zen hot dog joke, "I'll have one with everything." For the edification of those of us who have not had the joy to hear the actual joke, the Zen Buddhist says to the hot dog vendor, "Make me one with everything." With such uninspired writing, we would love to ask, did anyone bother to edit or did they expect this whorey slop to pass for actual discourse?

There's something bitterly ironic that in a film entitled Next, there is absolutely no original ideas or circumstances. However, it does work in a way probably completely unintentionally; we, like Chris Johnson, knew everything that was coming, we just didn't have the happy ability to know we knew what was coming and avoid it. What else is there to say but, next please.

***This review was written somewhat in reference to the style and voice of Pauline Kael

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131 out of 244 people found the following comment useful :-
Very Good, 28 April 2007

Author: millerwoodfilms from United States

A lot of people say it was boring with no plot twists. Well they must of been watching a different movie. First the ending was really unexpected and you don't see it coming. Second there was a LOT of suspense. You get so into the movie the time goes by very fast. The movie runs smoothly and I didn't see anything left out. And the way they use his ability to see into the future doesn't confuse, or get rid of suspense. The end of the movie what makes it great and no one saw it coming. The locations in the movie were all very cool too. The only complaint I had was in most of the car scenes, the actors aren't in a real car, and you can tell it's fake, but it's overall okay. I thought it was great and I recommend it. Go see it.

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10 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
A Good Idea from Philip K. Dick Slips Away in the Script, 29 September 2007

Author: gradyharp from United States

Philip K. Dick has been the resource of stories for some very exciting films (Minority Report, Total Recall, Blade Runner), but in NEXT, his short story 'The Golden Man' as adapted by Gary Goldman and directed by Lee Tamahori, the concept of precognition as a human feature in altering the future falls into a video game format that becomes more action film and less human interest tale.

Cris Johnson AKA Frank Cadillac (Nicholas Cage) is a sloe eyed Las Vegas grungy magician who has found a way to hide the fact that he has the gift to see two minutes into his future, a gift that rewards him at the gambling tables but draws attention from the FBI after a thwarted attempt on Cris' part to stop a robbery is captured on video tape. The FBI, especially Agent Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore), knows that a nuclear device has entered the USA by terrorists headed by 'Mr. Smith' (Thomas Kretschmann), and that if the device cannot be traced, a nuclear bomb threatens the lives of millions of citizens. Agent Callie observes Cris' talent and engages him to aid in the discovery of the site of the device. But Chris' powers lead him to a beautiful young woman Liz (Jessica Biel) with whom his powers to see into the future can be extended for more than the requisite 2 minutes. After a series of 'attempts' at introduction, Cris and Liz bond, allowing Cris' expanded powers to be of more help to the persistent Agent Callie. From that point on the film dissolves into yet another combustible crashing action flick with endless CG special effects, all but erasing the character development. And the ending is as one might expect - not very Philip K. Dick in style.

Cage and Biel do well, Moore seems bored with her character, and Kretschman yet again embodies the evil of terrorism and beyond. There are some rather extraneous scenes on an Indian reservation that add little except the beauty of the Grand Canyon to the story, and there are some truly funny scenes of themes and variations on the chances we take in approaching a potential love source. But in the end all gets rather lost in the explosions ad infinitum that mark the film as a routine action flick. Grady Harp

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32 out of 54 people found the following comment useful :-
Sometimes you just get in too deep!, 31 August 2007

Author: Hitchcoc from United States

While I enjoyed the premise of this film, I felt like I so often do. You've got this neat idea; what are you going to do with it? Nicolas Cage plays a man who can see two minutes into the future, which allows him to move to different places to avoid danger, protect people in danger, and so on. The problem comes with the immutability of time. If you change things, what you saw really wasn't true; hence the plot hole. It was fun watching him dodge bullets and punches. What is hard to swallow is the mind that can put order to all this. Is this going on constantly or can he truly control it. If the mystery is out of his life, can he know the mystery. Part of my problem is that I never really understood what the bad guys were up to (I don't mean on a grander scale but on the details). Cage's relationship with Biel is nice but can he even have a relationship. The two minute thing was convenient. What if it had been a half hour or a day. How would that affect things. Anyway, when the ending comes, it seems satisfying but sad.

Someone said that people booed at the end. I'm sure it's because for some people, leaving a little too much to imagination is quite a stretch. It was a fun couple hours, but one shouldn't think too much. As for Philip K. Dick, he can provoke us pretty well.

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41 out of 72 people found the following comment useful :-
Only fair, should have been very good, 27 April 2007

Author: Larry Cline from San Antonio, Texas USA

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Next" struck me as coming off about like a pretty good episode of "The Outer Limits", mildly entertaining. Then again, "Outer Limits" is free on TV. I saw "Next" at a matinée show this afternoon; I wouldn't want to have shelled out $10 for it.

The reviews I've read here so far seem to have had some pretty high expectations for "Next"; I can't help but think that the low ratings reflect more their disappointment than the actual quality of the movie. With a concept by Phillip K. Dick, and starring Nicholas Cage and Julianne Moore (plus Jessica Biel for decoration) it had the potential to be an excellent film; it certainly is not excellent, but neither is it as bad as some are saying.

True, the CGI effects are not state-of-the-art, but they are serviceable, and do not greatly detract from the story unless the viewer is looking for reasons to be annoyed. Yes, there were some plot holes, but one must suspend disbelief even for the basic premise, that of two-minute precognition. And I confess that I too suspected the twist ending ahead of time (maybe I'm psychic, too!) But still, it was OK, if only OK.

The best thing that could have been said about "Ghost Rider" is that it set the bar pretty low for whatever film Nicholas Cage would be in afterwards. "Next" cleared that bar, but not by a lot. It's a shame that a star as fun to watch as Cage has turned up in yet another film that lands with a thud. It will pay his bills for a while, but he can do better, and should wait until better comes along.

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42 out of 75 people found the following comment useful :-
unexpectedly funny, 18 June 2007

Author: jemps918 from Philippines

Nicolas Cage is comfortable playing Las Vegas magician Cris Johnson in the fun action/sci-fi thriller Next. Cris has the uncanny ability to see two minutes into his future, which compels FBI Agent Ferris (played by a stony-faced Julianne Moore) to convince Cris to help stop a nuclear bomb from going off in LA. Sick of government experiments he was exposed to since childhood, Cris is reluctant, until he discovers that it will ultimately cost the life of Liz, the girl of his dreams (Jessica Biel).

Based on the Philip K. Dick story The Golden Man, Next is satisfactorily directed by Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day, Along Came a Spider). The movie is entertaining, especially since the dialogue remained light and didn't assume a serious philosophical route; plus, the action sequences are solid.

It was puzzling, though, to see Biel in a damsel-in-distress role that could've easily been played by any starlet. Her athletic assets take a backseat to her exotic beauty, which could not have been stressed enough by the lovestruck Cris. Those moments, fortified by the lack of believable chemistry between Cris and Liz, were almost always on the brink of comedy, which made the movie unexpectedly funny as well.

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10 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Entertainginly pedestrian, could have been so much better., 18 September 2007

Author: BenjAii from Dublin, Ireland

Oh Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood, why can't use invest just a little of the millions of dollars you obviously put into special effects, paying for Nicolas Cage and the rest into a decent story ? Next has a brilliant premise, which is what drew me too it in the first place (and some misleadingly good reviews on here !) but it's such a let down. Entertaining enough if all your simple brain demands is yet another guy on the run with FBI, must stop bad guys, explosions and chases type film to add to the identikit hundred or so you've probably seen already. But you'd expect a little bit more than utterly pedestrian with Mr Cage and Miss Moore at the helm. It doesn't deliver.

Things start out well enough, but then they always do with these types of films. We're introduced to Cage's character and how the rules of how his future seeing world operate through an entertaining spin through Las Vegas. Then things start to go wrong.

SPOILERS AHEAD

So my first gripe; the terrorists. They're French. What ? . I mean, great break out of film stereotypes and don't make all terrorists Muslims. But I expect some credibility and backstory for the ludicrous notion that French terrorists want to blow up LA with a nuclear bomb. We're never told and it's never explained. What a load of rubbish, why not make them Canadian or from Iceland, makes about as much sense. You've got to lose bucket loads of respect for a film and the imaginary world it's trying to create for two hours with a plot hole this stupid.

But it's symptomatic of the lazy storytelling that is such a letdown in this film. The 'rules' of Cage's future seeing universe are explained to us and then conveniently broken whenever a deux et machina plot moment requires it at will. But at this point it's all gotten a bit silly and I've given up caring. Except maybe to wonder why Julianne Moore thinks it's worth wasting her time with his sort of stuff. Can't she get any better work? Oh and the 'twist' at the end. For a moment I thought they we're actually going to do something clever. No, it just gets sillier as yet again they arbitrarily break with the rules they've created. No French terrorists waiting this time, though there should be.

Yes, it's entertaining enough, if that's all you want but disappointing in so many areas.

It makes you wonder if Hollywood is such a dog eat dog world where only the most talented survive how i can turn out so many dogs of films like this. An internet forum of movie buffs could have rewritten this into something so much better.

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