'Looper' set to make sci-fi history

By Zhang Rui
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, September 29, 2012
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New sci-fi release "Looper" is a thriller in every sense of the word and will surely prove to be a box office winner during China's upcoming National Day holiday.

Sci-fi thriller "Looper" opened in China on the same day it made its American debut as Endgame Entertainment production company brought in the movie's Chinese distributor, DMG Entertainment, as a partner. The movie is a thriller in every sense of the word and will surely become a box office winner over China's upcoming National Day holiday.

"Looper," written and directed by the relatively unknown Rian Johnson, tells the story of an assassin (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on the run after he fails to kill his future self (Bruce Willis).

In the year 2044, the so-called Loopers are hired to kill and dispose of agents who were sent back in time by their corporate employers from the year 2074. Any contract between boss and hit man generally ends when the former sends the older version of a Looper back to be killed by his younger self, a move referred to as "closing the loop."

The movie doesn't contain many visual effects in terms of wild monster creations, spaceships, laser swords and other stunts to make the audience's eyes pop out. Its cinematography is more like that of "Blade Runner" or "Minority Report," including some beautiful shots of Shanghai and its skyline, people (including Chinese actress Xu Qing) and alleys.

The storyline can be described as "Terminator" meets "X-Men." It's a low-key, cool and substantial production with depth in terms of humanity and wisdom. Bear in mind though that one loop is always closely connected to another one as the director seems to have woven a web of plots, and you may have to rethink the details to piece together the creator's vision.

The movie is not kid's stuff. Never-ending gunshots can be heard throughout the film progresses and the cold-blooded, but wisely and delicately crafted story will take your breath away during its two hour running time. Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt both did a wonderful job and manage to attract both the viewer's surprise as well as curiosity as the story unravels.

The furiously competitive September for foreign imported films in China has ended, and the curtain has now closed for "The Dark Knight," "The Amazing Spider-Man," "Prometheus" and "The Expendables 2"- observers believed China's film authorities tried to contain the total revenue of each Hollywood blockbuster.

"Looper" started its journey yesterday for a new chapter in China's golden National Day holiday season, when its competitors are four Chinese blockbusters, including Huayi Brothers Media's "Tai Chi 0." The new sci-fi classic has such potential that audience will want to watch it again immediately after they walk out of the theater.

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