Movie Review: Looper

By Jeremy Cooper

Layout Editor

Director: Rian Johnson

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels

Synopsis: In the year 2044, there are a group of mob assassins called loopers. Thirty years later in 2074, time travel has been created but is illegal, and used only by crime syndicates. When the mob wants someone dead, they send the person back thirty years, where the loopers kill the target, effectively eliminating all trace of them. The film follows one such looper, Joe (Gordon-Levitt), caught in a dilemma when his target, his older self (Willis), escapes. With his employers hunting both of them down, Joe has to find and kill his older self before they capture. However, Old Joe has his own plans in mind.

Review: Looper has everything that I could possibly want in a sci-fi/action film. In a world of remakes, rip-offs, adaptations, and true stories, it’s rather uncommon that anything has an original premise, which is what this movie has. The futuristic world that these characters live in feels fresh and fully realized. In addition, the story is put together almost flawlessly and manages to cover all loose threads. It isn’t incredibly heavy on action, but when there are sequences of it, they’re exhilarating. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis give great performances as the same character, with Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels providing strong support. Most importantly, the characters are compelling and fully developed, and with the addition of the actors’ performances, they feel complete. This is only the third film for writer/director Rian Johnson, and something tells me he’ll be one to look out for in the future.

Consensus: Looper may be the best movie that I’ve seen so far this year, and I don’t think that’s going to change. Exciting, engrossing, and thought-provoking, as well as great acting, writing, and directing, it will please both action fans and those craving for something original.

Verdict: 9.5 out of 10