Today’s quick review: Jumper. When David Rice (Hayden Christensen), a high school outcast, develops the ability to teleport, he leaves home for a life of theft, travel, and luxury. But after eight years on his own, he encounters Roland (Samuel L. Jackson), the leader of a group dedicated to eradicating Jumpers like David. To defeat Roland, David must seek the help of Griffin (Jamie Bell), a fellow Jumper, while trying to keep Millie (Rachel Bilson), his high school crush, out of harm’s way.
Jumper is a science fiction movie with an interesting premise, satisfying action, and a lackluster plot. The basic concept fits right in with Chronicle, Push, or Next in introducing superpowers to an otherwise realistic setting. But teleportation in particular has the two properties most valuable to any science fiction movie: plenty of fodder for action scenes and the opportunity to speculate.
For all the merits of its premise, Jumper is a movie that only lives up to some of its potential. The teleportation aspect of the story is mined thoroughly, with all the fast-paced action and superpower abuse a fan could want. But the characters are given back stories that are not fully explored, and the universe could have felt a lot bigger with only a few minor additions.
At the root of Jumper’s problems is its length: a scant hour and a half. The plot has a lot in common with other science fiction stories with young protagonists, but it lacks the window dressing to mask the formula. As such, Jumper gives the impression that it is missing an act. It covers its bases and wraps up, with little time spent on developing the characters or world.
How much you enjoy the film will depend on how willing you are to trade story for action. The plot and characters are adequate but not particularly compelling. The action is an inventive flurry of teleportation; while a little more variety would be welcome, it makes excellent use of its premise. But both story and action are outclassed by later entries in the superhero genre, making Jumper at best a snack for action sci-fi fans.
6.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for an interesting premise and creative action sequences hampered by a short run time and mediocre plot.