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Seven years ago, writer/director Rian Johnson broke onto the scene with “Brick,” a teenage neo-noir that spoke to a young generation and quickly built a cult following. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the movie was a solid debut feature, but it didn’t quite suggest that Johnson was capable of “Looper,” a classy slice of smart, disciplined sci-fi, and the action flick to beat for 2012. Also starring Gordon-Levitt (though in character makeup), the 2044-set film hones in on a set of hired assassins called “loopers,” whose work involves murdering mob targets sent back from 2074 (it’s easier to dispose of bodies that way). A payment of silver for the hitman is strapped to his prey, but if the killer finds gold, it means he’s “closed his loop,” or killed his future self, giving him exactly 30 more years to live.
The key to good sci-fi is establishing rules while keeping things interesting, which makes a knockout conceit all the more essential. Like “The Matrix” and “Inception,” “Looper” has all these bases covered, presenting a world that’s genuinely fascinating and unhindered by explanatory dialogue.
As Joe, a star looper and the youngest of the bunch, Gordon-Levitt hits his peak of effortless cool, and his character’s voice-over about blunderbusses (guns), TKs (telekinetics), and the rainmaker (a child whose powers will one day change the world) are only too welcome. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that the plot breakdowns are paired with keenly calibrated action. Things get tricky for Joe when his own loop, played by Bruce Willis, turns up to start toying with the young man’s conscience, and enact a plan that puts a huge damper on his brewing relationship with a farm-owning, (largely) innocent bystander (Emily Blunt).
A comment is made about Joe’s preference for old-school ties, specifically that he should “do something new,” and the remark no doubt alludes to where “Looper” fits in the ever-derivative sci-fi genre. Shades of “Blade Runner” and “Terminator” and “Back to the Future” are unmistakable here, but Johnson has more than enough original juice to keep “Looper” fresh.
Looper
R
Three-and-a-half reels out of four
Now playing in area theaters
Recommended Rental
Prometheus
R
Available Tuesday
Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” doesn’t quite live up to its massive expectations, which have been tough to meet no matter what the film became, but his pseudo-prequel to “Alien” is still a highly worthwhile adventure, specifically for those who are die-hard fans of the saga. Noomi Rapace makes an excellent heiress to Sigourney Weaver’s heroine throne, and Michael Fassbender is superb as a classy android. The two are among a crew in search of humankind’s origins, and what they find begs to be seen, if not emphatically celebrated.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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