Not all films need to be abysmally bad in order to leave a profound sense of disappointment in their wake. A prime example of such a film is Next, a 2007 science fiction thriller directed by Lee Tamahori, which begins with great promise but ultimately fails to deliver even the most basic of expectations.
Loosely based on "The Golden Man", a 1954 short story by Philip K. Dick, Next tells the story of Cris Johnson, a man with the extraordinary ability to glimpse two minutes into the future. This unique skill allows Cris, played by Nicolas Cage, to make a living as a small-time magician in Las Vegas, as well as supplementing his income by engaging in gambling. As the film progresses, Cris starts having a vision of a beautiful woman, portrayed by Jessica Biel, who is scheduled to meet at a diner at an unspecified date in the future. Cris' actions inadvertently draw the attention of casino security, as well as the federal agents led by Callie Ferris, played by Julianne Moore, who seeks to utilize Cris' ability to prevent terrorists from detonating a nuclear bomb smuggled from Russia on US soil. Upon finally meeting the woman from his vision, it becomes clear that her name is Elizabeth "Liz" Cooper. Both Cris and Liz are forced to flee for their lives, as Cris becomes a target not only for federal agents but also for the terrorists who wish to see their nefarious plan remain unimpeded.
Philip K. Dick's works have long been a popular source of inspiration for Hollywood filmmakers, with many adaptations failing to live up to the high standards set by Blade Runner. Next is no exception, although the script by Gary Goldman, Jonathan Hensleigh, and Paul Bernbaum distills the original short story into a barebones yet promising "high concept".
In Dick's story, the focus is less on the precognitive ability and more on the issues surrounding superhumans and humans, much like the X-Men comic books. Early drafts of the script, similar to some of the X-Men film adaptations, even served as some form of critical commentary on the Great War on Terror, with the federal government portrayed as the clear villains. However, this concept was ultimately discarded, and Cris, instead of being a superhuman mutant, is reduced to an ordinary man with a single extraordinary ability, which he uses, much like the protagonist of Groundhog Day.
This concept was transformed into an action film, with Cris utilizing his ability to escape dangerous situations. Thanks to the direction of Lee Tamahori, this aspect is used to create a series of well-crafted and often exciting and innovative action sequences. The script shies away from exposition, whether it be explaining Cris' gift or the motives of the terrorists, which allows the film to maintain a brisk pace and function as a solid action piece.
On the other hand, Next suffers from uninspired casting. While Nicolas Cage delivers a solid performance, it is not particularly memorable. The rest of the cast, including Julianne Moore as a one-dimensional agent and Jessica Biel cast primarily as eye candy, fail to match Cage's performance, lacking any chemistry between the two leads.
As the obligatory but unconvincing romantic subplot emerges in the second half of the film, Nex" begins to lose its footing. However, this is nothing compared to the utterly disappointing plot twist that attempts to provide a "neat" ending, which ultimately proves to be anticlimactic and leaves the audience feeling cheated.
In the end, Next is a watchable but ultimately disappointing film, and its descent into obscurity as one of the less inspired Dick adaptations is quite understandable.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
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