Jumper - 2008

The movie name itself is very interesting and made me think what kind of story it will produce. As I was a computer hardware and software support before, the first connection to the word jumper is the motherboard jumper. Alright, I am totally out of topic now.

A Jumper is a person with supernatural ability and allows that person to teleport to any place that he or she has visited before. Well, you may say that you have watched Hiro in Heroes and there is nothing special about it except going to places with eyes blinking. I can assure you that this is different, totally.

Preview
There is this guy named Alex Rice, who lives with his father since he was five. His mother left them because she discovered Alex is a Jumper and she works for a government department that catches Jumpers around the world.

Alex never knew about his ability until one day when he was almost drowned in a freezing river. He ended up in the school's library which surprises him. In fact, he surprises everyone because he flooded the library. He walks out without anyone questioning him. Soon enough, he starts utilising his power and teleporting into bank vaults to steal money.

He becomes rich of course, and lives in an apartment in New York thinking that the police will never be able to solve the mysteries he leaves behind; stealing money without opening the bank vaults.

Somehow, there are also people like him out there, with the same ability. They try hard to keep a low profile but still, the Paladins (people specialise in catching Jumper) hunt them mercilessly. Alex time runs out soon and he has to prepare for the worst; being killed by the Paladins.

The Storyline
It is not a very long movie but everything is explained and you will not be puzzled when the movie ends. There are a lot of superheroes movies and dramas out there but Jumper is totally different because it is about surviving and not trying to save people.

The Paladins seem to have all the equipment to hunt down the jumpers; a bat to stop them from jumping and a machine to trace where the Jumpers have jumped. However, the Jumpers have no expertise to fight back.

The Effects
When the Jumper tries to jump from one site to another, it seems as if the area surrounding the jumper is shaking and the wall is cracking. Well, the Jumper can, in fact, jump with anything they hold onto include a building if they are capable of. The effects are good but though the wall is cracked, it becomes normal again when the Jumper returns.

The soundtracks are nicely blended into the movies and never out of place.

Verdict
If you like a superhero, say spiderman, do you want to be like spiderman in terms of saving people or just want to have the power for your own good? Most likely, the answer will be the latter. I will certainly be waiting for Jumper 2 (not sure whether there will be one) and it will be interesting to see good fights between Jumpers and Paladins. Hmm... those Jumpers should have their jump suit and other methods to prevent or escape from the Paladins.

By KH Tan