Originally Posted by lamphorn (Post 11423813)

I don't want to derail and get too off-topic, but there is a big difference between partnering up with foreign producers in a benign way and partnering up with a hostile and repressive regime. China is a fascist state. It's "film companies" and producers are all agents of its government. This is no different than American companies in the past doing business with the NAZI's for short-term gain and looking the other way.

The REAL issue with this for me is that our studios will start catering to the wishes of China and censor our movies. If you listen to interviews with the producer of Looper he explains how when you co-produce a movie with China, not only are you supposed to make the Chinese government look good, you are not allowed to show corrupt police officers of any nationality, or public officials or politicians who are anything but angels. That's not just your typical state film office request, that's ideological propaganda.

Next up, Iron Man 3, and Cloud Atlas, both Chinese co-productions. Now that Hollywood has got a taste for Chinese money, they will want ALL their tentpoles to be Chinese productions. Consider the consequences of that. "Red Dawn" was not a Chinese co-production but was changed to fit the desires of Chinese censors because MGM didn't want Chinese retaliation in the form of blocking OTHER movies of theirs from Chinese deals. See? China also just bought AMC theatres, making it the biggest theatre owner in the world. Not a benign foreign company, but the GOVERNMENT of a country that is set on world domination and oppression. Good luck EVER seeing a movie about the truth of China's pretend "economic rise" which is based on intellectual property theft, hacking, and currency manipulation that violates international law.

We used to have the Hays code, but now we're getting a taste of the China Code. In about 5 years I bet we won't be seeing many major studios making films that deal with ANY human rights or democracy issues. They're bosses in China won't be comfortable with that.

Originally Posted by bluetoast (Post 11423851)

Although the Chinese version does have more stuff with Bruce Willis in China, and gives his wife some lines. Johnson said that on the U.S. home release these will be included as deleted scenes, as opposed to offering both cuts, since the U.S. cut is his intended version.

Originally Posted by SuckaMC (Post 11424061)

Listen to me, I'm from the future, go to China.

Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt (Post 11415847)

There was a lot of suspension of belief needed. Time travel. Check. JGL as Willis. Check. Hover vehicles in 32 years. Fine. Telekinetics. Fine, whatever, might as well throw in some aliens or vampires at this point.

But those are minor quibbles and not my problems with the film. My problem was just how mediocre it was. It could have just been an episode of the Twilight Zone or Heroes. I thought the pacing was terrible, there was action and then 5 minutes of watching Emily Blunt in a rocking chair.

Also, the lead henchman who never could cut it? He seemed like a promising character and I sorta hoped he would turn out to be the big future baddie but as I thought about later, I think that's the only reason for his role, to try and throw us off because ultimately he had no point.

Overall, not bad but nothing special. A good ending can't make up for everything that came before it.

Originally Posted by Superman07 (Post 11426629)

I've read through he thread and you're the first person who sums up my thoughts. I don't understand how people are gushing praise all over this. It's certainly not bad, and has some good elements, but is ultimately mediocre at best. It was slow, violated its own rules (don't even bring up the diner), and wasted the use of time travel. I was expecting a multilayer film using time travel as a central role and sadly that didn't happen.

Maybe if I ever watch it again I'll like it more, but right now I'd say 6/10.

Originally Posted by Superman07 (Post 11426898)

And that's...somehow supposed to address my issues? If anything that makes it worse. You sell the film as A, and then pull the rug out from under the audience and focus on B. :shrug:

Originally Posted by Timber (Post 11405343)

Old Dano wasn't in pain. He was terrified that he was going to simply stop existing but no pain. How else to you explain him driving to the meeting point and crawling to the door. Those injuries to him happened 30 years ago, there was no longer pain associated with them but they were permanent non the less.

Thought Abe and the kid were each other pretty much from the start. I guess I never noticed the limp on the kid. A broken hand will heal, a shattered hand is more of a stretch to heal but the point still stands. There would be no point in flinching from a broken hand you received 30 years ago.

Originally Posted by milwaukee_mike (Post 11427297)

I also don't get the 2nd scene of 30+ Joe being transported with cuffs and hood, being instantly killed by present Joe. At first I thought time looped when present Joe fell off the fire escape and (assummedly) dying, but since he landed on the car and did not actually die; the scene makes little sense to me. Anyone?

Originally Posted by Superman07 (Post 11426898)

And that's...somehow supposed to address my issues? If anything that makes it worse. You sell the film as A, and then pull the rug out from under the audience and focus on B. :shrug:

Originally Posted by lamphorn (Post 11422875)

Decided to boycott this film because it's following a REALLY disturbing trend of movie studios selling out to Chinese censors. I could elaborate but a quick google search will go into more detail, but suffice to say I don't support propaganda from repressive regimes. I found out about this listening to KCRW's The Business where a producer of Looper glibly explained rewriting the whole script to depict And also to listen to these spineless producers talk about how Chinese censorship is just a "business issue" to be managed and how the future of American filmmaking is partnering with the Chinese government to determine what can and can't be in the movies to ensure a good opening in China. Fucking sick.

I wouldn't have a problem with this if China were a friendly country that was geniunely reforming and liberating its people, but that they're on a mad tear to explain to the world that oppression is lucrative and the "Way of the future" and that American business and film people are being herded like sheep by them makes my head spin. What happened to our rebellious spirit? I even read a piece in the NY Times last year written by a "Chinese Venture Capitalist" (and right there, you know this is someone tied to the Chinese government because normal Chinese people don't have the freedom to just up and become venture capitalists) explaining how things like freedom of expression and civil rights are a relic of the past that's holding America down. Fuck that. I won't be part of it.

Originally Posted by Neeb (Post 11427691)

I hope you reconsider because LOOPER is a really good movie and...

Originally Posted by kefrank (Post 11427434)

It's confusing, but I understood that to be a "flashback." If you think about the timeline in terms of loops, I think it goes like this:


The movie, however, shows the loops "out of order" so-to-speak. And if I try to think about it any further, my head starts to hurt...

Originally Posted by milwaukee_mike (Post 11427297)

This explanation is about perfect for what is going on in the movie. However, what I don't understand is... If the 30 year older version of oneself disappears the moment your present self dies; why wouldn't the present day mobsters just kill present day Dano as soon as they catch him? Why take him apart piece by piece just to get the time-traveling 30+ version to come to them? Or, did they want the silver?