Rent Predestination (2014)

Utterly different, and pretty darn good too - Predestination review by MD

Just occasionally, a film comes along that really does seem like nothing you've seen before. This is just such a film.

It's about time travel, it's about boy meets girl, it's about a hitman and a terrorist, all of which are not exactly new in the movies, but the story itself, and the way it unfolds, are completely original and not at all what you might expect.

I suspect some folks may find it too complicated or too pretentious to really enjoy it, but I thought it was a really neat idea with excellent performances (in particular by Sarah Snook), a no-nonsense, provocative script and sharp direction. When you get to the end, you just have to watch it again to see all the clues throughout, and to appreciate that it truly is a very clever and engaging little movie.

Definitely recommended if you have an open mind and want something way out of the usual mainstream fare.

Good, slow-paced Time Travel Tale - Predestination review by CP Customer

Spoiler-free review...

The movie is well-acted, well filmed and has a style of its own which doesn't feel borrowed from anything else.

Like me, you might deduce the plot and supposed twists/surprises very early on (perhaps I've just seen a lot of time travel movies and know what I'm looking for) - but the overall journey is still a good one.

There are no scenes where the movie becomes dull, but also none really of particular tension or threat. Instead, you have a solid story, well told, and it isn't overly long.

The only disappointment? The climax is delivered in the manner of "wow, you didn't expect THAT did you?"... but actually, I did, and I'd known it was coming for at least an hour. It would have been nice to be hit with a real surprise.

It makes sense if you look at it backwards - Predestination review by HA

This being a movie about time travel, perhaps it's apt I give my thoughts in reverse chronological order.

As the closing credits roll:

What!? How could they leave that detail unresolved? I mean... but... ok, sure, most of it, almost all of it, makes sense now, except I have no idea what might happen next.

For most of the middle:

It's a bit complicated, but I think I see where this is going. Are the writers really going to go there though? It'd be kind of an avant-garde plot twist and I'm not sure how they'd tie up the loose ends afterwards.

At the start:

This is odd, in a good way. The characters seem compelling and there's obviously going to be an enjoyably intellectual plot with cause & effect in the wrong order and different people turning out to actually be the same person from a different point in their history. I wonder what will happen next?

The very first shot:

Why is he carrying that other briefcase as well as the violin?

Now:

I tell you from the future, you have enjoyed watching this movie. It's a clever and interesting bit of writing, with some fine performances, and definitely worth a watch. But you're now wishing it was half an hour longer. Don't say I didn't always have said I was going to warn you.