Next

See all in Reviews

Review: Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Reviews

A pendantic thriller

By TOM MEEK | May 2, 2007

2.0 Stars

VIDEO: Watch the trailer for Next.

Frank Cadillac declares himself “the real deal masquerading as an act.” He’s really Cris Johnson, Cadillac being his Vegas stage name when he performs magic and predicts the near future — which he actually can do, though just a few minutes in advance. Lee Tamahori’s film is loosely based on the Philip K. Dick story “The Golden Man,” and if you know your Dick, you know screen adaptations of his work are all over the map — just compare Blade Runner with slack crap like Paycheck. Next is more like the latter, with Nicolas Cage as Cadillac, a fetchingly framed Jessica Biel as the love interest, and Julianne Moore as the hardened FBI agent trying to get Cadillac to help locate a nuclear bomb planted in LA by terrorists. The bomb’s just dressing for the three actors to generate some heat, which they do; lacking prescience themselves, however, Tamahori and the phalanx of writers implode Dick’s intriguing premise into a pedantic thriller.

Related: The man who knew too much, True Dick?, Scanner brained, More

The man who knew too much
Around the age of 13, Philip K. Dick started having a recurring dream.
True Dick?
Philip K. Dick saw into the future, man, the FUTURE. Scanner brained: Richard Linklater animates Philip K. Dick’s Darkly . By Peter Keough A slacker darkly: Why Dick likes Dick. By Peter Keough
Scanner brained
In 1977, in his novel A Scanner Darkly , Philip K. Dick invented the perfect drug — at least from society’s point of view. True Dick?: Looking for fidelity to the cyber-punk master. By James Parker
Tricky Dick
The Philip K. Dick phenomenon might be petering out.
A slacker darkly
"We’re great at declaring war on things that you really can’t technically win," says Richard Linklater. Peter Keough interviews Richard Linklater (podcast mp3) Scanner brained: Richard Linklater animates Philip K. Dick’s Darkly . By Peter Keough True Dick?: Looking for fidelity to the cyber-punk master. By James Parker
Apocalypse now and then
With Snakes on a Plane and World Trade Center opening on the same day, this summer won’t be offering the usual escapist fare.
The price is right
For a guy sometimes compared to Philip K. Dick, Alex Irvine took his time in getting around to writing about the future.
October lite
We expected the vampires, the werewolves, the zombies, and the homicidal maniacs. Same thing with the android doubles, the alien abductors, the sexually abused pregnant teenager, the Apocalypse, and the post-Apocalypse. But kids' movies?
Politics as usual?
Conspiracy, corruption, catastrophe — politics and world events sure can be exciting. Even the mainstream news is taking an interest.
Review: Moon
Duncan Jones begins his first feature with an infomercial for "Lunar Industries, Ltd" that celebrates Lunar's solution to global warming: strip-mining the surface of the moon for "Helium 3," an isotope that can provide a limitless source of non-polluting fuel.
Almost Famous: Micah Salkind
"You can’t throw a stone here without hitting an artist."
Less

Topics: Reviews , Federal Bureau of Investigation, Julianne Moore, Philip K. Dick, More

| More

ARTICLES BY TOM MEEK

REVIEW: GOD BLESS AMERICA | May 17, 2012
The latest dark comedy from Bobcat Goldthwait tackles both vapid celebrity culture ( i.e. , Paris Hilton, the Kardashians, and American Idol ) and the indignity of being an office drone.

REVIEW: THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS | April 24, 2012
Peter Lord, animator behind claymation staples Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run , directs this very British, very dry romp on the high seas during the time when Britannia did indeed rule the waves.

REVIEW: GOD BLESS AMERICA | April 18, 2012
The latest dark comedy from Bobcat Goldthwait tackles both vapid celebrity culture (i.e., Paris Hilton, the Kardashians and American Idol) and the indignity of being an office drone.

REVIEW: UNDEFEATED | March 15, 2012
Dan Lindsay and T. J. Martin's Oscar-winning documentary about an underequipped high-school football team competing against big-time programs across Tennessee offers a potent contemplation on race and opportunity.

REVIEW: DR. SEUSS' THE LORAX | March 01, 2012
Regrettably, this team loses a lot of Seuss's quirkiness, though not the message about corporate greed and slash-and-burn imperialism.