PREDESTINATION (2014)

Predestination (2014)
Directed by: The Spierig Brothers
Written by: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig, Robert A. Heinlein
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Noah Taylor, Sarah Snook

PREDESTINATION (2014)
Directed by The Spierig Brothers

Citizens of America are living in fear as an unidentified terrorist, referred to as the ‘Fizzle Bomber’, is set to strike and wipe out 10,000 people in New York City. Temporal Agent Ethan Hawke must travel through time to stop the killer before it’s too late. He is sent by the Temporal Bureau to the 1970s to work as a bartender, to gather intel on the suspected Fizzle Bomber, when he meets John, a man with a complicated and tragic past who the bartender just may be able to help.

Thought-provoking sci-fi thriller extravaganza, Predestination, is one hell of a movie. Don’t be expecting this film to do things by halves. Once it grabs you with its explosive opener, it’ll have you hooked to the end credits. Prepare to be taken on a journey cos trust me, this is one heck of a ride!

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I commented on how superb Sarah Snook was in Jessabelle and I expected to see a lot more of the talented young actress in the future. It took me ten minutes to realise that it was her playing the role of transgender John in Predestination. Adopting a gruff voice and made up to appear male, she certainly convinces in the role. Sarah also gets to perform as her natural appearance when John tells his story about his life growing up in an orphanage.

Ethan Hawke stars as the veteran time travelling agent of the movie. Tasked with taking down the Fizzle Bomber, the agent has already failed once and mustn’t fail again, especially with retirement looming. Jumping through the decades, the agent must discover the Fizzle Bomber’s identity before he succeeds in killing thousands once again. Hawke’s performance is an expert one, showing the agent to be an utter professional who’s determined to get his man. However, it’s clear that time travelling for so long is wearing him down and this is his likely his last shot at stopping the bomber.

Predestination is an astounding, utter mind-bending sci-fi drama that captivates from start to finish. Though the majority of the film is pretty much character and dialogue driven rather than action, it is the attention to detail and dedication to building characters with depth that works so well. Sarah Snook and Ethan Hawke’s performances are flawless, and Sarah Snook gives an incredible ranged performance that showcases what a brilliant actress she is. Even the visuals in the movie are as much a character as Snook’s and Hawke’s too. The bar were they meet and the various locations during the time travel become familiar with the audience and present a meaning of their own, especially when revisited.

Thoroughly entertaining with a enthralling, deep story, Predestination is an intense and emotional experience for any fan of cinema. If time-travel is your thing though, The Spierig Brothers’ slick sci-fi flick is an absolute must-see!

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