Predestination (2014)

I thought Predestination would be Looper (2012) rip-off but I was wrong. It is something totally different even when the premise might remind you of Looper. Predestination is science fiction drama with little action in it. After half hour I had to check the time because it seemed like story is not starting at all. First half hour contain short introduction to concept and then two men are talking in bar. Other one telling his story how he was born as a... Oh spoilers...

I wasn't sure if I should go spoiler free or with spoilers in this review. I chose to go spoiler free since some of you might enjoy this movie and twists are big part of the story.  Movie gives many hints where it is going and you probably guess at half way point where it is going but discovering yourself is part of the fun. Story is quite original because other movies have not dared to go this far. Some have taken two steps into this direction. This one takes six.

That is down fall of this movie. It tries to be too clever. Usually rule is we can accept one extra ordinary thing but not many more. In Predestination first thing is time travelling and second goes into spoilers territory. When you combine both together story goes pretty weird. At times it feels like writer tries to show how stupid science fiction can be and movie gives hints it knows how stupid the story is but it always stays as serious drama.

Even though I talk about downfall I still think Predestination is a good movie. It could have been great. Writing is good. Characters ask questions and later learn answers to their questions or they have to practice what they preach. Things just happen. Movie doesn't underline them. First half hour is bit problematic. It doesn't give any pay off. Rest of the movie explains what first half hour throws at us. First half hour is just build up. After that movie starts to work better.

Predestination is worth checking if you like serious science fiction dramas. Just don't expect anything like Looper. This is more like Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind (2004) and Franklyn (2008).