LOOPER

Set in 2044, the world is 30 years out from the invention of Time Travel. Once invented, it’s immediately outlawed but still utilised by the criminal world as a way of disposing of undesirable people. They zap them back to the “present” where a group known as “Loopers” finish them off and receive a tidy pay-packet for their troubles. One day Joe (Gordon-Levitt) receives his assignment - but who should zap in before him but his future self (Bruce Willis). Love is definitely lost between these two, because nothing about this film is typical; they don’t partner up to become a buddy-cop duo and they certainly don’t swap notes about what’s to come. They each have their own agenda and neither involves “hugging it out”. The film turns into a three-way cat-and-mouse routine, with a mother and son living the quiet farm life until Joe walks into their lives. An action-packed, thrilling, energetic brain-feast that makes you bear witness to a man trying to track and outsmart his own self. How often have you seen that!?

Johnson has a knack for taking an audience's preconceived notions and expectations and flipping them in the most startling, confronting and thought-provoking way. He also inspires stunning performances by his cast, including a most surprising turnout by Willis who, let's face it, has been phoning it in for at least the last five years. Gordon-Levitt keeps going from strength to strength, really sinking into the Willis doppelganger role with the aid of truly uncanny prosthetic make-up. Emily Blunt is fabulous as always and just makes every frame she occupies sparkle. But the serious OMG shout-out belongs to child actor Pierce Gagnon, who goes from the whip-smart, adorable Cid to the scariest, most knee-shaking character you’ve ever seen and back again in one smooth swoop.

This film is original, ambitious, intense and unexpected in every way. ‘Looper’ is a rare character driven sci-fi story, a key element that is often missed by the genre's filmmakers. Johnson is one of the most unique and exciting filmmakers, with a very strong touch of the Christopher Nolans. He is one to watch, and so is ‘Looper’.