Movie Review: Jumper

Starring Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, and Diane Lane. Directed by Doug Liman.

Christensen plays David Rice, a twenty-something who in his mid-teens had found that he can "jump" to locations just by thinking about them. His life of financial comfort (he steals from a bank) is interrupted by Roland (a white-haired Samuel L. Jackson), a "Paladin" whose job is to hunt down and kill "jumpers." Apparently, this "war" between the two sides has been going on for centuries. While evading the manhunt, David rekindles his love interest Millie (Rachel Bilson) and meets another jumper. Will he survive? Will he end up with Millie? What's the deal with being a "jumper?" Whatever happened to his mother?

I would like to say that at best this is a popcorn movie for intellectuals, but it isn't. While I can give credit to great special effects-fight sequences, the film fails in not being developed enough. Did you ever cook something and it's not quite done, and you keep cooking it and cooking it and when it's finally done, it's not what you expected or wanted to be? This movie is a lot like that.

This movie tries following in the steps of the formulaic "guy finds out he's a special person with powers normal people do not have must fight others who have been fighting his kind for centuries." Or, "Highlander." "Jumper" however lacks the development of backstory that "Highlander" had, so trying to empathize with the characters or what's going on doesn't matter.

I could continue picking this apart, but what would be the point? Diane Lane pops in for her paycheck as playing the mother to Christensen, and is dismissed as easily. Doug Liman could've done better...

My grade: C