Next (DVD)

NEXT

The Synopsis:

Enter, Las Vegas showroom magician Cris Johnson (Nicholas Cage)has a secret -which is both a gift and a curse which torments him: he can see a few minutes into the future.
Sick of the examinations he underwent as a child and the interest of the government and medical establishment in his power, he lies low under an assumed name in Vegas, performing cheap tricks and living off small-time gambling winnings. But when a terrorist group threatens to detonate a nuclear device in Los Angeles, a government agent must use all her wiles to capture Cris and convince him to help her stop the catastrophe......

MR CAGE's "REACTION" TO "NEXT"

Oh dear!............ "NEXT !"
Never mind the title, sadly, that's what I wanted to shout at the end of this farce. Like a churned up conveyor belt this was quite mediocre in most ways possible. It's not that the plot was bad- it was actually very promising. It had a good supporting cast behind it. Cage himself co-produced it, and the story line is potentially powerful and and evocative of many a good rip-snorting tense action thrillers.
But in this cage is sadly wooden.

Alongside Cage, both tough and uncompromising, an FBI agent works to deter a forthcomming top secret terroist plot to bomb into kingdom come. This agent is played by the usually astute Julianne Moore. She certainly doesn't put up with any nonsense here, and Moore does her best to be a gritty determinedly believable FBI cop.
Nicolas Pajon is also averagely good in her role, playing his "destined to be" girlfriend but it was all held together it seemed, in flimsy cellotape.

MY REACTION TO IT

Started good...but by the middle and the end The whole thing felt a lie.

But WHY?

I couldn't put my finger on it really. Nothing shone and it seemed as tired as the magic tricks Cage performed. Unusual for the normally integrity filled brilliant Cage could ever be, and all the showcasing became terribly anti-climatic.

PLOT UNFOLDS

So- What´s the plot?

Nicolas Cage stars as a Las Vegas magician who can see into his own future. When terrorists threaten Los Angeles, government agents seek to enlist his help.
There is espionage in true James Bond style, but without the charm or wit, and seemed to copy what has been done time and time again in a sort of a cack - handed unmemorable chase of cat & mouse, kidnap and bombs galore. It was all so promising to begin with.
The classic violin overtures written in choppy classic thriller modernistic style seemed suitably accompanied with exciting sound effects and some effort was made to keep locations in keeping with a 21st century thriller.
But for me the acting was wooden and more than a little strained.
Maybe Cage felt trapped in an acting role he no longer felt any stir of passion or care for?
Maybe he had heartburn or indigestion, I don't know.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER FILMS CAGE HAS PLAYED:

After Nicolas Cage's excellent performances in many a beloved box office treat Cage always manages to supply raw emotion action drama compelling compassion drive modesty zany cool drama or romance..tinged red along with the obligatory violence and comedy themes that spark through much of his past works in many of his finest roles.
Such as, for example the unforgettable "Face off " "Con- Air " even "City of Angels" offers the discerning viewer a treat fit for a king...and for the pauper alike....but ...Next? Sadly lacking and lack lustre.

This film had me fidgeting ever so slightly on my seat , glancing at the time on my watch, holding no real lasting passion or entrancement I just wasn't transported Nothing to be fair and with the critique's eye in comparison, to the afore mentioned , so a very disappointed "boring" I'm afraid.

The plot has been done before... this didn't feel right.
Terroists out to threaten world peace. Enter a man with his extraoidinary gift- everyone it seems wants him tonight ....- except me.

The man in real life in this film is a tired and lonesome chap and a sleeze ball stage magician.. In sleezy tired surroundings.

He detests having to put on the public face. He resents and detests the gift he so wanted to keep secret ..he resents the fact he has had to live with this all his life- and be a hunted man. He harbors this life long power with the expected aplomb of boredom and dread.. the ability to be, but just a half of a genius:

"Oh I can predict the future! "

There's the catches...
One: I can only predict my OWN. (how self -pompous/self absorbing and boring is that?!)

Two: Only the last 2 minutes of it! Whaaa?

So, straightaway you know most of the action is going to rest on the play of graphic endless "2 minute slots" while in his mind he ploys and plays in pscychedelic abandoment how each possible twist and turn could or would be , with clever takes on what the eternally possible outcome/s could be ...everything hinges on how quickly he can react - the man is a genuis in this .....so there could be many ,many possible endings.

Confused? You betcha!

THE PLOT THICKENED

Enter FBI ...(J. Moore) who are attracted to his potent powers to lend a helping hand with the thuggish evil only terroists have to use him to destroy the terroist baddies....a team of flogged to death espionage and chase story line...an unthrilling "Cat & Mouse, and by the way- Boy meets girl.. girl meets boy.." cliqued lines of a tired romance-less script scenario,- where Cage feels "it was meant to be. "
A big 'destiny to meet ' you and all that jazz and ultimately becomes Surprise Surprise!
A race against time ..the powers to be to save her from death...by the terroists with their strapped up bombs upon her femine shoulders.. you get the picture which, meandering on for an hour and a half with an 'average show' for everything else in between.

The music score is pleasanat enough ....the granbd canyone location a high point, but the narrative the plot..all scores a flat 5/10 from me even though it started with such high promise. Alas.
Disappointing as Cage is one of my favourites.

The film borders on the ridiculous that no matter how hard he tried to dress it up and make a silk purse out of a pig's ear ...nothing could be done.

Corny lines,... a rambling incoherent at times half asleep slow cowpoke looking more and more decidedly uncomfortable with the narrative....the obligatory guns blazing bombs and helicopter heroes trying to kill this magician who can 'see things' before they happen from the future,sort of resembled a shambolic B rated James Bond without the charm.

Oh great!

" Well, so what! " I hear you bleat...aren't many american action movies like that anyway?

That's the whole point of going- though, isn't it?

To get away from the reality!
To be transported from the mundane and the dreary into such a cleverly produced show of believable sequences that any ridiculous plots narratives and story lines are but yet captured so cleverly, that you end up there - 100%believing in it.
And the characters. And anything goes. All ridiculosity is forgiven accepted and entranced by.

But ...................Not next. Not for me.

Sadly, I expected more- much much more from the highly respected actor in his trade for more than 2 decades.
I think this film will be remebered for 'almost ' but not quite- making it.

Predictably it will prove to be a £4 DVD ...a mistake shoved to the back of the most mediocre. If I'm wrong jolly good. But if I'm right I shan't need to eat my hat.

WAS THERE ANYTHING REMOTELY GOOD? INTERESTING??

The shots of the Grand Canyon and the long car ride to get there...bretahtakingly fine..made me wish to be there to see one the USA's Living world splendid wonders.
Look out for it in the film as it sneaks up on you.

THE WORST THINGS

Cage's best slump of recent years... maybe I'm wrong , but I do feel that so many of his films were epic journeys of their own right so perhaps there is nothing more powerful left for him to do anymore. Which is a great shame.

CONCLUSION & SUMMING UP

There is something missing I believe it has got something to do with loosing the hunger and thirst for the best.
He's made his fortune and now as he approaches middle age there are many other pursuits out there for him just waitin gand probably itching to be explored and experienced.

Which is such a shame- I found myself willing him to beef up and to act his role as he would have done less than a decade ago.
Become more believable once more...certainly, better...than this.

Go. if you must. But do be prepared for a right old marlarky.

........NEXT?? No comment!
I rest my case and leave it up to you to decide when and if you get around to see it.

Other obligatory Info:

Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Nicolas Pajon
Genre: Action
Film running length: 95 min
UK release date was : 27/4/2007
Directed by: Lee Tamahori
Country: United States
Language: English
Distributor: Entertainment Film Distributor

Thanks for reading. Yawn..the only other reasonably interesting things to look at are the picture shots below, taken of the film itself........
Enjoy. Probably be the only things you will. Ta for reading.