Jumper - Hayden Christensen and Sam Jackson
02-27-08, 12:34 PM
#76
Originally Posted by JayDerek
A good popcorn movie.
My only complaint is the very 'non reaction' Hayden received after returning to his hometown. That was either poorly written or executed by the actors.
My only complaint is the very 'non reaction' Hayden received after returning to his hometown. That was either poorly written or executed by the actors.
02-27-08, 12:43 PM
#77
DVD Talk Limited Edition
The main girl didn't even really think it was a big deal that he was back, which was strange.
She calmly said something like "You weren't going to say hi to me?"
But I'd honestly expect something more like "HOLY SHIT!! I KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! IT'S AMAZING TO SEE YOU! WHAT HAPPENED??? GIVE ME ANSWERS!" , which is how most people would be. At least the girls mom gave a somewhat normal reaction when she saw him.
She calmly said something like "You weren't going to say hi to me?"
But I'd honestly expect something more like "HOLY SHIT!! I KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! IT'S AMAZING TO SEE YOU! WHAT HAPPENED??? GIVE ME ANSWERS!" , which is how most people would be. At least the girls mom gave a somewhat normal reaction when she saw him.
02-28-08, 01:41 AM
#79
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally Posted by Star Wars Guy
She knew he was alive because
Spoiler:
03-08-08, 06:50 PM
#81
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It was okay - it was good in parts, but there was quite a bit of unfulfilled potential. **1/2 out of five.
It needed some backstory in regards to the Paladins. Not much, but a minute or two would have been nice.
The biggest problem was the casting of Hayden and Sam.
I also felt the story was a bit rushed - it could have been another thirty minutes - easily.
Jamie Bell was very good. Nice to see Michael Rooker. And I could look at the Bilson any day of the week.
It needed some backstory in regards to the Paladins. Not much, but a minute or two would have been nice.
The biggest problem was the casting of Hayden and Sam.
I also felt the story was a bit rushed - it could have been another thirty minutes - easily.
Jamie Bell was very good. Nice to see Michael Rooker. And I could look at the Bilson any day of the week.
03-08-08, 06:53 PM
#82
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Originally Posted by Seantn
The main girl didn't even really think it was a big deal that he was back, which was strange.
She calmly said something like "You weren't going to say hi to me?"
But I'd honestly expect something more like "HOLY SHIT!! I KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! IT'S AMAZING TO SEE YOU! WHAT HAPPENED??? GIVE ME ANSWERS!" , which is how most people would be. At least the girls mom gave a somewhat normal reaction when she saw him.
She calmly said something like "You weren't going to say hi to me?"
But I'd honestly expect something more like "HOLY SHIT!! I KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! IT'S AMAZING TO SEE YOU! WHAT HAPPENED??? GIVE ME ANSWERS!" , which is how most people would be. At least the girls mom gave a somewhat normal reaction when she saw him.
03-08-08, 07:09 PM
#83
Originally Posted by Dr Mabuse
sounds like Burton's 'Batman' where Bassinger doesn't even notice when Batman's secret identity is revealed...
03-09-08, 12:37 AM
#84
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Originally Posted by JayDerek
A good popcorn movie.
My only complaint is the very 'non reaction' Hayden received after returning to his hometown. That was either poorly written or executed by the actors.
My only complaint is the very 'non reaction' Hayden received after returning to his hometown. That was either poorly written or executed by the actors.
03-10-08, 05:04 PM
#85
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I enjoyed this as a popcorn flick...just entertainment.
By the way if you liked the movie at all, do check out the books they are far superior (not surprising). There are 3:
Jumper & Reflex are the first two and are about David and are a drastic departure from the film. No Paladins, he's the only jumper, etc. Very good books IMO.
Book 3 is a prequel called Griffin's story about Griff from the film and what happens to him before the movie. The author wrote it after seeing the changes to the script and inclusions of the Paladins. Pretty good itself and quite a bit better than the movie of course.
By the way if you liked the movie at all, do check out the books they are far superior (not surprising). There are 3:
Jumper & Reflex are the first two and are about David and are a drastic departure from the film. No Paladins, he's the only jumper, etc. Very good books IMO.
Book 3 is a prequel called Griffin's story about Griff from the film and what happens to him before the movie. The author wrote it after seeing the changes to the script and inclusions of the Paladins. Pretty good itself and quite a bit better than the movie of course.
03-17-08, 01:47 AM
#86
Suspended; also need updated email
I just watched this
Fun popcorn film for sure. I did enjoy the concept and the FX
They needed to expand on why the Paladins want to kill the jumpers a bit more. I didn't feel that. Especially to the extent that a mother would kill her son.
Rachel Bilson was cute, after watching an episode of One Tree Hill, i'd love to see her and Sophia Bush in a movie together
Griffin was the coolest character.
with the Jumping ability and guns, you would be just about unstoppable against the Paladins ! I mean say you took sniping lessons. Firstly you have stores of guns and other weapons stored safely and multiple locations around the world (easy to get the guns from military stockpiles). When you see a Paladin, you jump to get your gun, jump to half a mile away from the Paladin, snipe the SOB ! or you jump to pick up grenades, jump back, drop them off and jump away, boom ! Even with a sword you could do some cool stuff. I guess they wanted to keep it PG 13
Id be jumping into Famous babes bedrooms and bathrooms and videotaping them
You could be the ultimate assassin as a jumper, especially the fact that you could dispose of the body in places it could never be found
I'm glad they at least delved into using the power for selfish pleasure rather than just noble shit.
Fun popcorn film for sure. I did enjoy the concept and the FX
They needed to expand on why the Paladins want to kill the jumpers a bit more. I didn't feel that. Especially to the extent that a mother would kill her son.
Rachel Bilson was cute, after watching an episode of One Tree Hill, i'd love to see her and Sophia Bush in a movie together
Griffin was the coolest character.
with the Jumping ability and guns, you would be just about unstoppable against the Paladins ! I mean say you took sniping lessons. Firstly you have stores of guns and other weapons stored safely and multiple locations around the world (easy to get the guns from military stockpiles). When you see a Paladin, you jump to get your gun, jump to half a mile away from the Paladin, snipe the SOB ! or you jump to pick up grenades, jump back, drop them off and jump away, boom ! Even with a sword you could do some cool stuff. I guess they wanted to keep it PG 13
Id be jumping into Famous babes bedrooms and bathrooms and videotaping them
You could be the ultimate assassin as a jumper, especially the fact that you could dispose of the body in places it could never be found
I'm glad they at least delved into using the power for selfish pleasure rather than just noble shit.
03-17-08, 10:36 AM
#88
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by Original Desmond
Good thing about this movie is they could do a kick ass sequel with totally different characters now things are basically set up
http://www.onipress.com/preview.php?...7&pid=165&pg=1
07-14-08, 02:40 PM
#89
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by redskull
Meh. What a mess of a movie. As others have said, everything's right there in the trailer. If you've seen the trailer, then there's no reason to see the movie.
SPOILERS AHEAD, although there's nothing much to spoil:
I thought the kid who played young Manakin in the flashback scenes was a much better actor. Too bad they didn't sign him up for the whole movie. By the way, shouldn't Hayden Christiansen have looked like Jake Lloyd in those flashbacks?
I'm surprised that no one's brought up the point that Manakin was a thief, plain and simple. No matter how much the movie wanted him not to be, he was nothing but a crook. He routinely teleported into bank vaults and stole money from them, as well as teleporting into venues without paying. And EVERYTHING he had was stolen. Even things he may have actually paid cash for were bought with money he stole.
And yet we're supposed to embrace him as the "hero." I get that it's a wish fulfillment thing; that he's got the power to do things we'd all like to be able to do. But to so casually gloss over the fact that he was a thief seems wrong to me.
He even whines to Samuel L. Jackson that he's "not like those other Jumpers who went bad." No, of course not, he's just a Jumper who steals money from vaults.
The movie tries to rationalize his thefts by having him leave I.O.U.s in all the banks he robbed. I'm not buying it. Seriously, how was he planning on paying back the millions he stole? He didn't have a job. I doubt he was investing. I suppose maybe he could jumped to Vegas and won some money there to pay back the banks, but that's a pretty big supposition. Maybe he was stealing from one bank to pay back what he owed the first? But then there's always going to be one bank that's out some money. It's like they were just paying lip service to the I.O.U. idea, tossing it out there in a lame attempt to validate the character without thinking about how it would really work.
SPOILERS AHEAD, although there's nothing much to spoil:
I thought the kid who played young Manakin in the flashback scenes was a much better actor. Too bad they didn't sign him up for the whole movie. By the way, shouldn't Hayden Christiansen have looked like Jake Lloyd in those flashbacks?
I'm surprised that no one's brought up the point that Manakin was a thief, plain and simple. No matter how much the movie wanted him not to be, he was nothing but a crook. He routinely teleported into bank vaults and stole money from them, as well as teleporting into venues without paying. And EVERYTHING he had was stolen. Even things he may have actually paid cash for were bought with money he stole.
And yet we're supposed to embrace him as the "hero." I get that it's a wish fulfillment thing; that he's got the power to do things we'd all like to be able to do. But to so casually gloss over the fact that he was a thief seems wrong to me.
He even whines to Samuel L. Jackson that he's "not like those other Jumpers who went bad." No, of course not, he's just a Jumper who steals money from vaults.
The movie tries to rationalize his thefts by having him leave I.O.U.s in all the banks he robbed. I'm not buying it. Seriously, how was he planning on paying back the millions he stole? He didn't have a job. I doubt he was investing. I suppose maybe he could jumped to Vegas and won some money there to pay back the banks, but that's a pretty big supposition. Maybe he was stealing from one bank to pay back what he owed the first? But then there's always going to be one bank that's out some money. It's like they were just paying lip service to the I.O.U. idea, tossing it out there in a lame attempt to validate the character without thinking about how it would really work.
I completely agree with your point that the protagonist was pretty much despicable. Usually in a movie like this, you at least see the "hero" of the film turn into something more than he was in the beginning. I guess you do see some remorse when he sees what happens to his dad, and he does go back to rescue his girlfriend, but everything else he did was just despicable. He robs from banks, casinos, whatever, he sleeps with random women, he flaunts his powers in public, he teleports the bully to a bank vault and leaves him there (then gets mad when he gets ratted out), he lies to and ditches his girlfriend. Not to mention that I see no reason why Rachel Bilson's character would forgive the guy, much less fall in love with him, beyond the connection they had 8 years ago. I mean the guy has all this cash, can't properly explain where it came from, takes her to Rome and then breaks into the Colliseum... even without the Jumper powers, wouldn't she suspect he was some kind of thief? And then he leaves his fellow Jumper out in the middle of a battlefield, trapped. Why are we supposed to root for this guy? Because he leaves IOUs and doesn't kill?
I think I read an interview with Bilson where she said that the original movie was supposed to be centered around the younger characters, but to market the movie they had to make a last minute change in plans. If true, I think that sudden change in direction really shows here.
Also watched the little featurette on the DVD, where the director pretty much admits he got the book license, took the concept, then just brainstormed and came up with something totally different: the whole Paladin concept that this move revolves around was totally made up by them. I haven't read the book, but I'd be surprised if this shares any similarity with the books beyond names and powers. The author is pretty gracious in the featurette, saying that it will expose people to the book. They also reveal that, from the start, they planned out a three movie series... this may explain why the movie has so many plot holes, but I'd prefer that they work on making the first film a complete movie first. Why are the paladins after the Jumpers? Did everyone in his hometown assume he was dead, even though his dad saw him come home? If so, why didn't he set up a brand new identity (and if he did, what was the lead that allowed Sam Jackson to track him down in the first place)? Why was the other jumper tracking him and helping him out? The whole revelation with the mom at the end seemed to come out of nowhere as well (unless I missed some clues along the way, besides the single picture of his mom on the wall).
07-14-08, 07:56 PM
#90
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Originally Posted by fujishig
The whole revelation with the mom at the end seemed to come out of nowhere as well (unless I missed some clues along the way, besides the single picture of his mom on the wall).
07-15-08, 01:39 PM
#91
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by filmerp
No doubt, this film had plot holes galore, especially with the Paladins- how'd they snag Jumpers before batteries to power their shock-spears? The thread with Diane Lane, however, was hinted at early on when she helped him escape in Italy. Dumb film, but I liked it as much as, say, Wanted.
07-16-08, 05:55 AM
#92
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you probably don't appreciate these actors because of this missing segment that was cut out of Star Wars: Episode III
Jackson: You are on this council, but you do not have the rank of master.
Christensen: ...what?
Jackson (exploding with anger): WHAT?! WHAT AIN'T NO COUNTRY I'VE HEARD OF! THEY SPEAK ENGLISH IN WHAT? ...ENGLISH, MUTHAFUCKA, DO YOU SPEAK IT?! SAY WHAT AGAIN! SAY WHAT AGAIN, I DARE YOU! I DOUBLE DARE YOU!
Jackson: You are on this council, but you do not have the rank of master.
Christensen: ...what?
Jackson (exploding with anger): WHAT?! WHAT AIN'T NO COUNTRY I'VE HEARD OF! THEY SPEAK ENGLISH IN WHAT? ...ENGLISH, MUTHAFUCKA, DO YOU SPEAK IT?! SAY WHAT AGAIN! SAY WHAT AGAIN, I DARE YOU! I DOUBLE DARE YOU!
07-17-08, 10:09 AM
#93
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Originally Posted by fujishig
...I haven't read the book, but I'd be surprised if this shares any similarity with the books beyond names and powers. The author is pretty gracious in the featurette, saying that it will expose people to the book....
To expand on what you said, his opinion is basically whatever they do in the movie the books remain unchanged. The quote in the featurette is something like this. He is talking and says people ask me if I am worried that they will ruin my books with this movie? He points behind himself and says, my books are right there unchanged. Really cool attitude IMO.
07-18-08, 01:55 PM
#95
DVD Talk Hero
Actually the main character being unlikeable was the point. The real hero of the picture was Sam Jackson's character. They should have been clearer about it in this film but they say if they get to make a sequel they'll delve deeper into how all Jumpers do indeed go bad and how the jump scars they leave behind are actually screwing up the planet. It just should have been made clearer right from the start instead of making Sam Jackson look more the loon than anything else.
Still, I enjoyed it a lot and would welcome a sequel.
Still, I enjoyed it a lot and would welcome a sequel.
Last edited by RocShemp; 07-18-08 at 02:09 PM.
08-22-08, 06:12 PM
#96
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Finally saw this. Really good, but flawed.
Goes without saying that I found little appealing about Hayden Christensen in Star Wars. Just whiny and grating. Didn't know if I would care much for him in anything else. But I have to admit I liked him here. Has yet to grow fully into leading man material, but this is a promising step in that direction.
* * * SPOILERS AHEAD * * *
They needed to delve more into the Paladins, explore their history and purpose. Why do they hunt and kill Jumpers? Because they always turn bad? That's not enough. Why do they turn bad? What's the cause of their moral decline? Is it just because power of that kind tends to corrupt, and sooner or later they all fall prey and start to cause trouble?
A loose end: They never said what happened to his father. I suppose we're to conclude that he died from his injuries.
And his mother: Almost no information. She's a Paladin, and she left when he jumped for the first time. Because if she didn't leave him, she had to kill him? Again, these Paladins and their mission are nowhere near as developed as they need to be.
That said, I was engaged the entire time, and would definitely be in favor of a sequel.
--THX
Goes without saying that I found little appealing about Hayden Christensen in Star Wars. Just whiny and grating. Didn't know if I would care much for him in anything else. But I have to admit I liked him here. Has yet to grow fully into leading man material, but this is a promising step in that direction.
* * * SPOILERS AHEAD * * *
They needed to delve more into the Paladins, explore their history and purpose. Why do they hunt and kill Jumpers? Because they always turn bad? That's not enough. Why do they turn bad? What's the cause of their moral decline? Is it just because power of that kind tends to corrupt, and sooner or later they all fall prey and start to cause trouble?
A loose end: They never said what happened to his father. I suppose we're to conclude that he died from his injuries.
And his mother: Almost no information. She's a Paladin, and she left when he jumped for the first time. Because if she didn't leave him, she had to kill him? Again, these Paladins and their mission are nowhere near as developed as they need to be.
That said, I was engaged the entire time, and would definitely be in favor of a sequel.
--THX
08-22-08, 06:41 PM
#97
DVD Talk Special Edition
The main girl didn't even really think it was a big deal that he was back, which was strange.
She calmly said something like "You weren't going to say hi to me?"
But I'd honestly expect something more like "HOLY SHIT!! I KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! IT'S AMAZING TO SEE YOU! WHAT HAPPENED??? GIVE ME ANSWERS!" , which is how most people would be. At least the girls mom gave a somewhat normal reaction when she saw him.
She calmly said something like "You weren't going to say hi to me?"
But I'd honestly expect something more like "HOLY SHIT!! I KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! IT'S AMAZING TO SEE YOU! WHAT HAPPENED??? GIVE ME ANSWERS!" , which is how most people would be. At least the girls mom gave a somewhat normal reaction when she saw him.
Kinda like Piven's response after seeing Cusack in Grosse Point Blank!
08-22-08, 07:42 PM
#98
DVD Talk Legend
Finally got this from Netflix and I didn't hate it all. The reviews have been so awful I really wasn't sure what to expect. Sure, it's not high art and the lead actor is wooden, but I enjoyed it the film as a whole as a rental. And I'd recommend it.
12-24-08, 05:19 PM
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Has anyone had any "out of balance" disc problems with Jumper?
I've tried three separate SD Jumper DVDs now and all of them had caused some amount of shuddering/shaking of my DVD player. I've tried several other titles and they all play fine.
I'm wondering if there might have been some sort of quality control problem with this release.
I've tried three separate SD Jumper DVDs now and all of them had caused some amount of shuddering/shaking of my DVD player. I've tried several other titles and they all play fine.
I'm wondering if there might have been some sort of quality control problem with this release.
02-05-09, 05:24 AM
#100
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Re: Jumper - Hayden Christensen and Sam Jackson
This movie could have been really cool, with an entirely different cast, a different director, a different screenplay, probably a different crew for the most part...
The basic story had so much potential.
The basic story had so much potential.