Next

Cris is a man with a gift. He can see into the future, at least into that bit of it that includes him. It's a gift he has only used for cheap tricks and the occasional gamble, until now. Because now there is a federal agent knocking at his door, telling him she needs him to predict when and where an act of terror is going to happen.

So far the background story. It is clear that it isn't the first time that this kind of story is worked out, there are many more films that play around just the same thing really. But this one is there, and plays around the same theme in its own way. IMO, it has all rights it needs to be considered a new film. The way the story is worked out really isn't half bad.

Somewhat predictable but nevertheless amusing. rolling on steadily like a rocky river. Effects are good enough, apart from a handful, characters are believable and tension is just (but barely) enough to keep it going.

7 out of 10 futures altered

Nicholas Cage, Julianne Moore, and Jessica Biel star in "Next," a 2007 action film directed by Lee Tamahori and written by Gary Goldman, Jonathan Hensleigh, and Paul Birnbaum.

Cris Johnson (Cage) is a magician named "Frank Cadillac." What people don't know is that Johnson has a unique gift: he can see up to two minutes into the future as long as it impacts him personally. There is just one exception: the girl of his dreams (Biel). He's seen her and he's waiting to meet her.

Johnson has come to the attention of the FBI, led by Moore. There is a nuclear munitions shipping coming into the U.S., and they want Johnson's helping in locating it. One night, in a casino, he overcomes a would-be robber and grabs his gun, as he saw into the future when the man not only robbed the casino, but shot the young woman at the payout window. However, the police attempt to arrest him, thinking the gun is his; the FBI knows differently. With his two-minute warnings, Johnson is able to get away in a stolen car and go officially on the run. Not only does the FBI want him, but the munitions people as well.

I found this film very entertaining with some neat effects as it plays with past and future, sometimes advancing the plot ahead by mere seconds. Nicholas Cage is always great, and he is here as the beleaguered magician who has come to the attention of the casino because they suspect him of cheating.

It's a good cast, and the late Peter Falk has a cameo, another treat.

I didn't catch the reviews when this film came out nor did I do more than glance at a few here on IMDb. But this is an action film. In action films, one enjoys the action and doesn't dwell on the plot nor delve too deeply into it. After all, the basic premise and action sequences in some of these films can be absurd. So just go with it and have fun. That's what I do, anyway.

Next is a much better movie than I expected to see, having read some of the reviews which called it disjointed and silly. Quite to the contrary, I found it deeply absorbing. I quickly picked up on the elements which must have caused some reviewers to accuse it of being disjointed, and began enjoying them. Of course silliness is part of any sci-fi story, we suspend our critical senses in that regard or we do not become sci-fi fans.

I single out one performer among a fine cast. Julianne Moore has really established herself as *the* deadpan action queen. She was a better Agent Starling than Jody Foster was, and she's a terrific, dominant presence in this film. Kudos to her for propelling herself to the top of a tough genre. She makes films more interesting to watch, by dint of her strong performances.

I read Phillip K. Dick's "The Golden Man" many years ago and still remember a lot of it. When I first began hearing about this movie I immediately flashed to it and wondered if this was a movie of that intriguing story. The answers are "yes" and "no." "The Golden Man" is a much more ordinary story, but with resounding insights on the consequences of his existence. And his skin was a compellingly attractive rich golden hue, which helped make him irresistible to women. None of that fits this new story, and was properly omitted.

What is translated so well from the written page to the screen is the government's intense interest in him (although for different reasons), its efforts to get him under official control, and the exceeding difficulty of doing so. And of course, the story ends in a wholly different way than the movie, a very satisfying and inevitable conclusion that bolsters Mr. Dick's reputation for opening the future to us.

*** OK, ONE LITTLE SPOILER ALERT *** READ NO FURTHER (unless you don't mind) ***

I just have to add, the flurry of action sequences which come like a staccato rendition of The Flight Of The Bumblebee during his escape from custody, is thoroughly delectable and brought more than one involuntary "Ha!" from the audience I saw it with, including from me. It's one of the tastiest treats in the film.

And finally, yes, I too wish I knew who the heck these terrorists were and what the heck they were trying to accomplish with their nefarious plot. But I guess that's the brave new world we live in. We just don't get to hear the bad guys' dialogue, their reasons for doing the things they do. In that way Next is giving us another insight, not dropping us cold as others have complained. The only legitimate beef I agree with is the entirely unnecessary and just plain goofy Nicholas Cage business during the final pursuit. It looks like it must have been an idea of somebody too high up among the moguls to deny, but it is a definite distraction causing "Huh? What?" moments when the action is at its most intense.

All in all, a feather in everybody's cap and a movie I fully recommend without reservation. Drama, humor, really fine action sequences, twists, great characters. As baseball great Yogi Berra once said, " Don't miss it if you can."

"Next" comes from a story written by Philip K. Dick, like many clever film titles in the last thirty years. Once again, he takes a simple idea--an alternate reality, if you will--and creates with it an engaging drama.

The film involves a variation on time travel. More correctly, it involves multiple realities/universes. Nicholas Cage plays Chris Johnson aka Frank Cadillac, a small-time Las Vegas magician who makes his real money at the gaming tables. He has a special talent: he can look two minutes into his future to see the outcomes of his various potential actions.

This talent has put him in the cross hairs of the FBI and others. The feds (especially the team lead by a special agent played by Julianne Moore) want him to help them thwart the nefarious plans of terrorists. But Chris has suffered enough prodding at the hands of the authorities during his life.

The narrative has fun with the idea of multiple realities, often fooling the viewer. Amidst the chase scenes are numerous chances to question the boundaries of the magician's "powers". The special effects used to portray his options are enjoyable.

The wild card is an attractive young woman named Liz Cooper (Jessica Biels) who enters his consciousness. Chris is drawn to this mysterious woman, especially since her presence seems to alter his abilities.

I can't say Nicholas Cage would be my first choice for this role, but he plays it well enough. Jessica Biels is fun to watch and believable. Julianne Moore does a good job of riding the line between hard-nosed agent and considerate person.

I feel sure some people will not like the ending. And those who prefer to detect plot holes rather than enjoy the ride may not find much enjoyment at all.

"Next" is a film about Chris (played by Nicolas Cage), a man who can see what will happen to him personally up to two minutes into the future. The only exception to that rule is a vision he has of a beautiful woman (Jessica Biel) whom he knows he meets in a particular diner at 8:09. Every day, twice a day at exactly 8:09 he is in the diner until one day she arrives.

Because of Chris' forecasting skills, he goes to casinos on occasion to supplement his salary from his regular job as a magician. His skills are noticed by an agent of the FBI (Julianne Moore) who wants to utilize his abilities to thwart terrorists who plan to set off a nuclear device in Los Angeles.

I found the movie entertaining and suspenseful. There are a few sequences where the CGI looks kind of fake but overall I thought it was very good. It was well-acted and well-paced. I almost always like Nicolas Cage movies, and man oh man Jessica Biel looks absolutely smmmmmoking hot! I recommend it; I give it seven stars.