I don’t need to say too much about Jumper. Most of my negative comments sit happily in this review from back in February. However I have had some criticism that my main criticism of the film is based around Hayden Christensen’s spoiling one of my own favourite items of clothing by including it in his wardrobe for the film. So let me stress. Jumper is a really bad movie not just because of the T-Shirt. For one he also wears one of those long leather jackets ONLY worn by goths and dicks.
Its a pity because I have liked pretty much everything Doug Liman had directed before. Liman is a slippery director though, seemingly competent but ending up rarely being credited for his own films.Swingers, his debut, is seen as more of a John Favreau film now (Favreau wrote it and starred in it but Liman directed). The Bourne Identity is regularly considered the worst of the Paul Greengrass trilogy – which I disagree with. The other two Bourne films may have more excitingly shot sequences and murkier politics, but the Identity has the most satisfying character arc. And Mr And Mrs Smith, which was ropey but fun, is the film Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met on – Liman is relegated yet again by tabloid gossip.
Perhaps this is what is wrong with Jumper. Annoyed with being constantly overshadowed he deliberately picked stars with zero charisma* and a story based on a young adult sci-fi book whose plot was decidedly ordinary. So yes there is much teleporting, and much camp bad-guy action from Samuel L.Jackson (2008 was NOT a good year for him) but I cared nothing about anyone involved. It is interesting that with the excess of superhero films, we are also getting these super-anti-hero films (Twilight counts like this too). The super-anti-hero films seem to be faring poorly. Possibly because in the books they are based on – and they are all based on YA books – there is a narrative voice that makes us persist in liking the unlikeable. The nearest you get to that in Jumper is the casting, and as previously noted, Hayden Christensen is not Mr Personality. Or at least he is but he is Mr Rubbish Personality. So there are some great effects, some so-so ideas, and a general feeling of meh – especially when you realise at the end that it really, really wants a sequel. Which luckily it won’t get.
Oh, and as for the poster above. I’ve played the first Tomb Raider and its fun getting on to the bonce of the Sphinx, but there isn’t much to do when you are up there.
*Jamie Bell has personality. Its just a really weird one.