Predestination

As my churn rate of Retro Reviews in 2015 was fairly abysmal, especially in the latter half, I'm going to try and add some more to that resume while the theaters are less busy. I hope to really focus on some films that I've yet to see as opposed to reviewing old favorites of mine. So without further adieu...

There were a couple gems I missed in the theaters in 2015. It happens every year and is really unavoidable unless I were to actually get paid decent money for this gig (sorry Google ads,but you're not cuttin it). Even though I have a lot of older films I should be catching up on, this one has intrigued me for a good long while, with many comparing it to Inception (my all time favorite) not to mention its placement on a few 2015 Top 10 lists of critics that I more often than not agree with. 

I'm talking, of course, about Predestination. I'm assuming that many who've heard of it are already into movies as it had a very limited release and hardly any marketing push, so there are probably quite a few of you that are asking, "Predesti-what-now?". 

I'll be up front and let you know: I did not like/enjoy Predestination as much as I did Inception. But for that to happen was, in all honesty, going to be nearly impossible. I do agree though that Predestination is a special little film for those interested in sci-fi, time travel, and the like. It actually reminded me much more of Looper than anything else, although they're fairly distinct films. 

"So a hawk flies into a bar and says ..." [Sighs]
"Is this an Ethan Hawke joke?"

"Have you heard the one about the
hawk that flies into the bar?"

Explaining Predestination is like trying to explain the color "blue" to a certain extent. There's only so much I can tell you before I just suggest that you really have to see it for yourself. The basic premise would go something like: a man travels back in time to stop a string of bombings, one in particular that has a high death toll. In the near future, America has an agency that specializes in this type of thing and he's one of their best agents. Sincerely, that's about all I can give you. The "time travel" aspect may have perked a few ears and it's the core for the entire film's purpose. Not that I had an issue with it, but the film does completely ignore some of the time travel rules that us humans have fictionally created and come to hold as law. I think that could easily bother some, but I found it refreshing as none of those have actually ever been scientifically proven. 

The film plays with an interesting theme/question: What came first? The chicken or the egg? Its "answer" to that is the mindblowing part that I think many have heard about and it's a film that, much like Inception, and Interstellar, when you really, really start to think about the possibilities it's both mind-numbing and incredibly exciting at the same time. Even a week later, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the complexities of it all and the question of, "Could that really happen?". The film never completely answers this with its large-scale revelation but neither did Inception and the open-ended nature of it is something I appreciate in this case. I've seen many a blogger state that they found it to be predictable and I call bulls**t on that one. The film does a great job at playing its hand exactly when it means to and often not cluing in much beforehand. Predicting a twist 5 minutes before it happens based on the film's heavy foreshadowing does not make you a prophet, but I digress. It's some great pacing and slowly works its way up to the huge plot twist. 

My complaint of the film deals mainly with its scope. This man trying to solve a bomb mystery seems fairly low scale in my eyes and much of that is ignored (and swept over) as the revelation becomes clearer. It doesn't necessarily feel like a loose thread in the plot, but merely one whose only existence was to exist as a purpose or catalyst for this larger "What came first?" analysis. Maybe that was the point and I missed it, but it didn't seem like all that interesting of an angle once it was all said and done. 

"Make that hawk joke one more time! Go on! I dare you!"

For a small film that was most likely on a low budget, it's also surprisingly well made. There's only a handful of special effects, but they're all good and the cinematography, sound editing, and original score are great (though that last one is definitely no Hans Zimmer score). I'd say other than the time travel craziness however, the film's successes stem from a fantastic script and two really great performances. The writing isn't your normal time travel film, filled with explanations and definitions of film-unique naming conventions. Instead, it's a deep story of a character and their trials and difficulties...most of which haven't the slightest thing to do with time travel. Ethan Hawke, who's almost always great, is equally as strong here and feels like a real, natural character despite the circumstances. Sarah Snook is the main highlight though but to say much more would probably reveal too much. I will give her kudos for anchoring many of the film's scenes and having a wide range with her tragic character. 

It's a shame that Predestination didn't get a wider release or at least a push to a decently-sized limited one. I think the public would have really enjoyed it as I did. While my only reservations about it are limited to its lack of epic scale vs. the epic question it asks, that doesn't steal away from the fact that it's a mind trip of a film with a resolution that will have you thinking for days, if not weeks. 

CONS:

• Doesn't feel quite epic enough in scope for the idea/thesis that it's presenting
• Why wasn't this a wider release?
• To think what could have been with a Hans Zimmer score (though the film's score is still really good)

PROS:

• It's a trip and a mindf**k for sure. Much like the films it has been compared to, it'll have you thinking long after the credits roll. A very interesting take on the age old question, "What came first? The chicken or the egg?"
• I liked that it didn't abide by standard, yet fictional, time travel conventions
• Solid pacing and presentation of story
• The twist is expertly revealed right when it wants to be and you'll be in shock
• Superb performances from Hawke and Snook, though Snook's certainly demands more from her
• Well made film with a well written script
• Keeps you on your toes and even after the twist and the ending, you'll have a hard time wrapping your head around what it all means. But that's half the fun

Retro Rath's Review Score: 9/10