Looper | Teen Ink

Looper MAG

October 1, 2012
By alanclarke714 PLATINUM, Kuna, Idaho
alanclarke714 PLATINUM, Kuna, Idaho
35 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...All you have to decide, is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf


“Time travel has not yet been invented, but thirty years from now it will have been.” These words kick-start one of the grittiest science-­fiction films of all time, and it never lets up – not even after the credits roll.

“Looper,” skillfully written and directed by Rian Johnson, is about Joe (Bruce Willis), a looper (or assassin who works for big, organized crime syndicates in the future). In 2044, in an America where the economy has collapsed, the mob of the future illegally uses a technology that was banned the moment it was created: time travel.

Loopers are sent back in time to kill the desired targets and collect their pay (silver bullion). But they have a contract; when the mob wants to cut ties with anyone not in their tight-knit group, they send back the looper's loop (future self) to do what's called “closing your loop.” But when Joe's loop escapes, Joe's world is turned upside-down as reality begins to unravel around him.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays the younger Joe, does such a great job filling the shoes of a lost soul that if he's not nominated for an Oscar or Golden Globe, I'll be surprised. I've never seen a more captivating performance. Willis does a fantastic job as well, shifting the playing field and bringing the chaos in what is easily his best role since “12 Monkeys.” Emily Blunt is a surprise as Sara, a mysterious character who is introduced in the second half of the film but has a major impact on the story.

The writing is Oscar-worthy, as is the directing. The music by Nathan Johnson blends in with the intense action sequences and the emotional ­dialogue; it pays a great homage to Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams. The visual effects are noteworthy as well (especially for such a below-average-budget film) but fall short of being as ground-­breaking and realistic as “Prometheus.”

Overall, “Looper” is an instant sci-fi classic and one of the best films of 2012 – a mix of “Blade Runner,” “The Departed,” and a dozen other classic sci-fi/action thrillers.

9.5/10 stars.

This film is rated R.


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This article has 2 comments.


on Jan. 30 2013 at 11:03 am
alanclarke714 PLATINUM, Kuna, Idaho
35 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...All you have to decide, is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf

There have been plenty of science fiction films or films with science fiction elements released that have been truly amazing (Inception, Love, Cowboys & Aliens, and Prometheus), but Looper was a perfect, a truly perfect blend of crime and science fiction. "The Departed" meets "Blade Runner"

TroyMcClure said...
on Jan. 11 2013 at 12:21 am
Thanks for taking the time to review Looper for us, Alan! I missed Looper while it was in theaters; however I finally got the chance to see it last night. I like to go online to look for new rentals before I leave my office at DISH yesterday afternoon. I saw that Looper was available; I rented it, and had it downloading to my DISH Hopper DVR as I walked out the door. It was loaded and ready to watch before I got home and turned on the television. I totally agree that this movie is a classic. There are so many overblown science fiction movies that come out, that a small film with a big idea like Looper is a breath of fresh air.