Rated: 18
Genre: Science fiction, action
Running Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt
Synopsis: "In the year 2042, a man working for a group of killers called "Loopers" (they work for the mob and kill people who are sent blindfolded back in time from the year 2072 by their bosses) recognizes a victim as himself. He hesitates resulting in the escape of his older self" (Nusantara Edaran Filem).
Verdict: Perhaps one of the best films released in Malaysia this year thus far. Looper is the kind that makes you think about it for hours after watching. Lacks of good action and has no rewatch value but it's so thoroughly thought-provoking that it can tell you that those who say this movie sucks are the ones who don't like to use their brains much. Despite the common time travel loophole & the slight concept similarities to likes of Back to the Future, Terminator & Butterfly Effect, the plot is considerably well written. The only other unlikable parts are the Bruce-Willis-easily-escapes-from-enemies-and-Die-Hard-solo-style scenes. The brilliant make-up on Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes him look like a completely different person. The actor also did marvelously to act as the young Bruce Willis, who should be ashamed of himself for not being hired to act as the old JGL instead.
Second opinion: "Wow, I didn't expect it to turn out like that. Very well written. JGL's fake nose is really annoying though" (some friends).
Malaysian censorship: Nudity and sex scene removed but insignificant, I believe.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
[SPOILER SECTION BEGINS HERE]
Main LOOPhole: All the other flaws I noticed are minor and therefore won't mentioned here. This one plothole, once you realise it, could make the film seem very dumb to you. Inconsistent paradigm shift may well be an inevitable problem for all time travel stories. In the movie, whatever the present person does, that memory would be instantly created for his or her future self. And if the present person gets killed, the future one would disappear. Therefore it is clear that whatever the one person does, it should affect the past, future and present timelines. Now here is the loophole. The old Joe (Bruce Willis), who came from the future, causes the present/young Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to fail in executing him. So since the present Joe didn't kill the old Joe which happened in the timeline of the future Joe, the events that lead to the old Joe to travel to the present timeline should not happen. Even if still happens, the ending where present Joe kills himself (that causes the future Joe to disappear) should create a paradox of practically the entire film. Everyone that died (except the present him) because of future Joe should come back alive, no? Memories of Sara (Emily Blunt) meeting the present Joe should disappear, no? Yes. No. Yes. No. Think.
Most unnecessary scene: The future Joe is coming to kill Sara's son and that forces Sara to agree to let the present Joe to stay outside her house to guard them and hunt for the future him. But Sara gets horny one night and decides to get Joe to leave his post for some sex. Does that imply that when girls get horny, they'd care lesser about their children's safety?
This ending would've been better: Instead of committing suicide, the present Joe should have just shot his own hand to prevent the future him from killing Sara or her son, Cid (Pierce Gagnon).
[SPOILER SECTION ENDS HERE]
Source:
http://www.colourlessopinions.com/2012/09/looper-2012-film.html
