Jump They Say (Jumper (DVD))

Member Name: utero

Product:	Jumper (DVD)
Date:	12/11/08 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Jamie Bell's decent in it, good sfx

Disadvantages: Hayden Christensen is wooden, feels undercooked

Jumper is a film about one man's struggle to come to grips with the problems in his life caused by the itching of the hideous jumper his grandma knitted him last Christmas.

No of course not, Jumper is about teleportation. At a young age David Rice (Hayden Christensen) discovers he has the ability to teleport and jump to anywhere in the world. Now instead of using his power for good, instead he uses it to live a lavish lifestyle of leisure. All funded by robbing banks using his power. But of course this all can't go on forever. He finds he's not alone and there are fellow jumpers in the world. All of them being hunted and taken out by a mysterious group lead by a silver haired Samuel L Jackson.

What ensues is a chase around the globe taking in the sights of such places like Rome and Egypt where David must try to stay alive and save the girl he fancied bank in school, he must have really fancied her as he once got her a snowball ornament.

It's baffling how Doug Liman, the director of Swingers, Go and the first Bourne film has come down to the level of brainless, empty sci-fi. Jumper is a pretty ropey film from beginning to end and struggles to even last past ninety minutes. The main problem with it is that it just doesn't feel that exciting and having someone teleport to different countries get's pretty dull quickly.

The choice of Christensen in the lead role is also a bit of a fumble. There have been comments previously about the quality of his acting in the Star Wars films but generally everyone was wooden in those films. But in Jumper he's devoid of any real charisma and is definitely evoking some of the Keanu Reeves spirit. Jamie Bell turns up as another Jumper and I couldn't help but think this would have been a better film with him in the lead role. Jackson as always is enjoyable but he and his group are never fully explained, there was plenty of running time to do it in.

The action is adequate but nothing special, I found the special effects to be a good standard. The jumping sequences are probably the highlight.

But overall this is one of those films that just feels incredibly undercooked and very under whelming considering the premise and the involvement of Liman.

- The DVD -

The widescreen transfer is very sharp and you're given a strong image. Naturally there's an involving soundtrack to suit the film, surround sound is put to good use throughout.

- Extras -

This was a rental disc and doesn't seem to have the extras that the retail disc includes. All you'll get on this is a sparsly animated prologue which I found incredibly dull from the outset.

- Finally -

By all means give this a rental, it's short and sweet but in comparison to some recent sci-fi actioners, this one feels overcut and undercooked.

Summary: This needs to teleport to a dimension of better films