Samuel L. Jackson hunting for Hayden Christensen in JUMPER(2008).
© 20th Century Fox
Title: Jumper
Rating: PG-13
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson
Written By: David S. Goyer and Jim Uhls and Simon Kinberg, based on the novel by Steven Gould
Directed By: Doug Liman
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
JUMPER
By: Abbie Bernstein, ColumnistDate: Thursday, February 14, 2008
Unlike, say, Star Trek, which uses its transporter simply as a plot device, the space-bending abilities of David Rice (Hayden Christensen) are very much the point of Jumper. As an adolescent, David discovers he has the ability to “jump” from one place to another simply by deciding to do so. With no mother, an angry father and bullying schoolmates, there’s little incentive for David to stay at home – and not a lot of guidance to show him right from wrong. Small wonder, then, that David “jumps” far away from home, materializing inside bank vaults long enough to scoop up cash and then financing a very comfortable lifestyle. After eight years of this, though, David is confronted by Roland (Samuel L. Jackson), who not only knows about David’s ill-gotten income but is capable of preventing David from jumping. David escapes and winds up back in his Michigan hometown, where he renews his lifelong adoration of pretty Milly (Rachel Bilson), who is happy to be swept away by romance, only to start having serious doubts about just how David is able to do the things he does. Meanwhile, David learns a) that there are other jumpers out there and b) what the audience has known from the start of the film – that Roland is seriously dangerous and has a lot of help.
Jumper sets up a whole mythology about what it would mean to be able to get across the world in an eye-blink (beyond of course the fabulous savings on airfares), but director Doug Liman is in such a hurry to keep the pace ratcheting along that the more philosophical aspects of the story get short shrift. Even so, writers David S. Goyer and Jim Uhls and Simon Kinberg have adapted Steven Gould’s novel in a way that makes events easy to follow – we are shown rather than told so that we can understand what’s going on, what jumpers can and can’t do and at least broadly why Roland and his ilk find jumpers so objectionable. Liman and Co. avail themselves of the possibilities in the premise, so that we’re treated to some awesome locations that don’t just serve as backdrops, but rather become part of the plot, as in an Indiana Jones adventure.
Star Wars fans may get at least a minor charge of seeing Christensen and Jackson playing enemies again. Christensen is agreeable as a contemporary man with decent basic impulses if rather gray ethics about stealing, while Jackson is properly formidable. Jamie Bell is highly entertaining as a jumper who very reluctantly shows David the ropes and Michael Rooker is by turns vicious and poignant as David’s bewildered father.
There could be a lot more to Jumper than what we get – the film has been edited to an arguably over-lean 90 minutes, and the last act contains a twist that leaves us feeling like we’re being set up for a sequel – but if you can drop the questions and just go for the ride, it’s relatively good fun.
