Review: Looper (Spoiler Free)

By Kyle Windle on October 1, 2012

Photo taken from lett -/\=

How would you react if you saw yourself staring back at you–an older, more experienced version of yourself–and your job was to murder him?

Looper is a sci-fi noir crime film written and directed by Rian Johnson, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels revolving around a group of hit men called “Loopers.” Loopers are tasked with killing and disposing of bodies sent from the future by a mob who cannot get away with murder due to a body-tracking system. At the end of their tenure with the mob, the Loopers are tasked with killing their future selves, which is called “closing the loop.” When Joe (played in his mid-twenties by Joseph Gordon Levitt) is met by his older self (Bruce Willis), he is taken off-guard and subdued by Old Joe, beginning a series of events that involve the mob hunting down both versions of Joe as they elude the mob and each other to ensure their survival.

The plot is confusing to explain, but it speaks to Rian Johnson’s competence as a writer and director that the film is much better and clearer at explaining it than I am. I never felt lost, which is a danger with time-travel films. All of the paradoxes and causalities are explained (or at least inferred) and really, even when it’s unexplained, it’s to the benefit of the film, letting the focus fall on the performances rather than the technical plot points of time-travel.

Speaking of performances, this film is filled with strong acting performed by an exceptional cast. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s portrayal of a young Bruce Willis will probably get all of the attention as he, with the help of some make up and prosthetics, channels Willis in a performance that skirts the edge of impression but ends up being a strong, nuanced performance that perfectly captures Willis’s attitude. Willis himself is often characterized as an action movie star, and his actual skill is sometimes under-appreciated. However, his emotional range in this film is commendable and his delivery is fantastic. Jeff Daniels’ role as a relaxed, laid-back mob boss from the future is excellent, and demonstrates just how talented the Newsroom actor is. I could go on, as I can’t seem to find a bad actor in the bunch, really. Even Paul Dano, with limited screen time, gives a memorable performance.

The direction is paced perfectly and the action isn’t superfluous. The effects are exceptional, particularly in a scene involving Paul Dano’s future self (no spoilers here). The stakes are high, and every character has different motivations, including the two protagonists, who are unique in that they are the same man separated by 30 years.

If you like time travel, noir films, crime, action, or family drama (What? I hear you ask. But trust me. There’s a whole plot that the marketing for this film didn’t even touch upon, and it’s a wonderful surprise),then you will like this film. There are complex characters who have difficult moral decisions to make where past and future lives hang in the balance.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format