Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • 3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)
    • 3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)
    • 3625. Ode To Joy (2019)
    • 3624. One Chance (2013)
    • 3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)
    • 3622. The Polka King (2017)
    • 3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)
    • 3620. Friendzone (2021)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»2855. Jumper (2008)

    2855. Jumper (2008)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on February 13, 2020 2008, 6 - 7.9, 80-89 mins, Action, Feb 20, Movies Of 2020, Review, Sci-Fi, United States
    7.0 Ridiculous, but oddly enjoyable
    • Acting 7.1
    • Directing 7.2
    • Story 6.6
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson

    Director: Doug Liman

    Running Time: 88 mins


    Jumper is an American film about a teenager with the ability to teleport who suddenly becomes the central focus of a conflict between those like him and those trying to wipe his kind out.

    A bizarre exercise in the young adult (YA) genre, Jumper delivers a frankly preposterous story in the most energetic fashion. As a result, it proves a strangely enjoyable watch, and while a number of its biggest twists and entirely laughable, there’s something irresistibly entertaining about it.

    First things first, there’s not much about Jumper that’s genuinely good. Its performances are lukewarm, its visual effects uninteresting, and its story plainly ridiculous. Compared with stronger entries in the YA genre like the Harry Potter and The Hunger Games series, Jumper does very little to foster genuine excitement, emotion or intrigue.

    And yet, its premise is wonderfully imaginative, and is told with surprising gusto throughout. The story is full of moronic and often unintelligible sci-fi jargon, but the screenplay is so passionate and convinced of its own genius, that it somehow manages to grab you with its preposterous antics.

    As a result, while the film’s space-hopping exploits are at times laughably ridiculous, there’s such energy and vigour behind it all the way through. And that makes it a film that’s difficult to genuinely dislike, proving a perfectly entertaining piece of turn-your-brain-off blockbuster fun.

    That of course means the film is far from successful in telling a genuinely thrilling or even moderately engaging story. Its brief attempts at emotional depth and intrigue are underwhelming and inconsequential, and the generally middling performances from leads Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell and Rachel Bilson do little to create much interest in the characters.

    However, as a silly, easy-going sci-fi adventure, Jumper is a surprising delight. Doug Liman’s energetic direction goes together with a passionate and imaginative screenplay, jointly making the film an oddly brilliant watch at times.

    Jumper is far from a masterpiece, missing the mark with its deeper themes, emotional intrigue and narrative intensity. Its performances are underwhelming and its visuals uninteresting, yet with such vigour and energy behind the camera – in the form of Liman’s direction and the screenplay – it overcomes often laughably bad genre tropes to provide an oddly enjoyable watch throughout. And that’s why I’m giving it a 7.0 overall.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. Since January 1st, 2013, he has watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    7.1

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    5.3
    January 17, 2022

    3620. Friendzone (2021)

    7.1
    January 10, 2022

    3612. The Lost Daughter (2021)

    8.0
    January 7, 2022

    3609. Licorice Pizza (2021)

    7.2
    January 7, 2022

    3608. Lamb (2021)

    7.4
    December 30, 2021

    3599. The King’s Man (2021)

    6.3
    December 29, 2021

    3598. The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

    8.4
    December 28, 2021

    3597. West Side Story (2021)

    6.3
    December 27, 2021

    3596. Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

    Recommended Movies
    8.3
    Review
    August 15, 20160

    1452. Song Of The Sea (2014)

    9.2
    Review
    November 14, 20130

    349. Duel (1971)

    8.4
    Review
    October 11, 20200

    3118. Soul (2020)

    8.1
    Review
    April 24, 20180

    2126. Hercules (1997)

    8.9
    Review
    February 4, 20140

    443. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

    Popular Posts
    7.1
    January 24, 2022

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8
    January 23, 2022

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9
    January 22, 2022

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    7.4
    January 21, 2022

    3624. One Chance (2013)

    6.3
    January 20, 2022

    3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)

    7.5
    January 19, 2022

    3622. The Polka King (2017)

    6.0
    January 18, 2022

    3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)

    © 2022 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.