The most difficult aspect of being a critic is walking the fine line between describing something and giving away details. In relation to film, it’s always challenging to try to give a good description of a film without revealing the plot, especially when the film in question hinges on a big reveal. So trust me when I say, I wish I could tell you a lot more about Predestination, but I wouldn’t want to take the experience of Predestination away from you, because I loved every moment of it.
Ethan Hawke acts his heart out in Predestination.
Based on the short story “All you Zombies” by Robert A. Heinlein, the author of Starship Troopers, Predestination follows a time travelling agent (Ethan Hawke) of the Temporal Bereau, as he attempts to travel back through time and stop a serial bomber. What follows is an incredible series of time jumps and interwoven characters, culminating in an intense and enlightening ending. Do not, under any circumstances, read or even look up Heinlein’s short story before you see this movie; It will ruin the story, and while the film can still provide for those familiar with the short story, it works much better if you have no knowledge of it at all.
One of the things that struck me early on in the film was overall acting quality and how well the actors seemed to fit into their roles. In any character driven story, it’s important to have actors that can work well off each other and Hawke and Sarah Snook, a relative newcomer from Adelaide, give extremely convincing and moving performances. The Spierig brothers direction is superb throughout the whole film, and there isn’t a single element that seems out of place at any time. Visually, they capture the essence and look of the different time periods the film inhabits, while mixing in a good dose of 50’s futurism.
The films pacing can be a bit jarring for a more relaxed viewer, as it sways back and forth between quickly paced slammed together scenes and a few segments that may have lingered a bit too much, but it works well in keeping the viewer guessing and interested in what can easily becomes a deeply complex and layered story. The film is heavily dependant it’s reveals, so if you’re not one for paying complete and total attention to a film, you may walk away more confused than enlightened, especially when nearing the films climax. It’s a bit difficult to be enthralled with the film from the beginning, as the introduction to the characters does seem to wear on a bit and bombard you with seemingly pointless details. But trust me, it pays of tenfold by the end.
Overall Verdict: Predestination is one of the best films to come out of Australia in recent memory, and is a must see for any fan of good movies. While a bit slow to start, this is certainly a film that will have you enthralled by the end.
Predestination will be released in theatres on the 28th of August.
