rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 2008
Directed by Doug Liman; produced by Lucas Foster, Simon Kinberg, Stacy Maes, Jay Sanders; screenplay by David S. Goyer, Jim Uhls, Simon Kinberg
Starring Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, Jamie Bell, Michael Rooker, Rachel Bilson
'Jumper' has a premise that at least could turn into a decent action film. Instead it becomes an introduction to a film yet to come - probably 'Jumper 2' if it gets made - that goes on way too long, even though it only plays for about 90 minutes. One or two satisfying scenes can be found, especially early on, but with two terrible performances, an introduction that does not even get that right, and basically no fun in the last hour, 'Jumper' is failure.
Jumpers are people able to teleport to every location possible, as long as it is known to the jumper (it also works from pictures, like pyramids). While drowning David Rice (Max Thieriot) is suddenly soaken wet in the library, discovering his teleporting powers. Since all around him think he is dead, he leaves his alcoholic father (Michael Rooker), robs a bank with his powers and starts his jumping life. Fast forward. Rice is now Hayden Christensen in a terrible, uninspired performance.
Robbing the bank years earlier got the attention of Roland (Samuel L. Jackson), a "paladin" with only one job. Kill all jumpers. Yes, there are more, and Rice meets one in the form of Griffin (Jamie Bell), who tells him about the eternal battle between paladins and jumpers. He never gives a reason though. Now the villain Roland faces the two, while Rice also needs to save Millie (Rachel Bilson), the girl he has always loved and recently returned to. She indirectly caused Rice's near-drowning years earlier, and always believed he was still alive. Of course.
Bilson gives a very weak performance too. She and Christensen take away any possible chemistry, basically reducing the interesting moments to the teleporting. Since that takes only a fraction of a second, repeated a couple of times in certain sequences, there is not much going on. 'Jumper' becomes boring after twenty minutes or so. It stays boring until the film is over, and then many members of the audience will realize the film is without any conclusions. The only reason to see 'Jumper' is the possibility of a better sequel. First I would wait if something like that really will be made.