Jumper

The premise for this movie intrigues me, especially after just having finished The Man Who Folded Himself. Jumping is teleporting anywhere, and that is basically it. They don't really explain the rules other than you need a "jump point" something visual to focus on to go to. They don't bother with the history of it or how it is possible. It is just enough to know that both Paladins and Jumpers have existed and fought for centuries. That is just what they do. The beginning of the film was more of an exploration into the psychology of a human who suddenly finds out that he is not subject to the limits of space. What will this person become when normal rules no longer apply? (These seems to be the theme of a lot of superhero movies lately. People are ordinary, like us, but then become extraordinary, a way to give us all escapism and hope from our boring lives.)

Hayden Christiansen's character was very much like Daniel in The Man Who Folded Himself, exploring the universe where he is at the center. Jumper, however, was much less insightful. It is about a man without limits hat takes what he pleases and sees the whole world, including women, as his toys. What was interesting about this in the beginning is most "guys who suddenly get power" use it to become heroes. He used it to live in a New York loft and get girls. After begin challenged by Samuel L. Jackson and escaping, he doesn't try to fight, he tries to go back to his old life and win over a girl. There were even subtle allusions, like Hurricane Katrina victims on TV that he could have easily saved, but were imperviously ignored. So even though it is the classic, boy escapes awful life by finding out he has superpowers, he doesn't become a hero or a join a "fraternity of assassins." He has to deal with his alcoholic dad, being picked on as a kid and taking everything that he wants from the world (the wonderful intro, I did all this blah di blah by lunch), but he still feels empty inside. So we learn that his path to wholeness revolves around his girlhood crush and reconciliation with his mom who left. He goes home to find the girl he left behind and she is still there, waiting for him and now we have excellent fodder for him to save, because the movie literally does a 180° and turns, instantaneously, into a superhero movie where Jumpers fight Paladins in a Good (sort of) vs. Evil (religious fanatic undertones not missed). It literally turns into a crazy krosh, krosh action movie with face smashing, cars jumping all over Tokyo and double decker buses plowing through Egypt. Hayden does the impossible and jumps a house to save the day and his girlfriend. Leaves the bad guy on the edge of a cliff and then confronts his Paladin mother in a quasi, accept me even though I'm different (could be gay) moment. She (Diane Lane) gives him a head start. I smell sequel.

Hayden was less obnoxious in this movie than Star Wars, but still, I think people are mistaken to assume he has leading man quality. He did look dark and brooding, with those hollowed out eyes, which is probably why Lucas thought he would make a good villain of the universe as Vader, but even though he looked tortured the whole movie, it really only worked in the beginning, when it wasn't an action movie. I think where this movie derailed is that for people who wanted action, the really didn't get much until the end and for people who are tired of endless car chases and explosions, we started to dive deeper into his psyche and then we were ripped away.

Now all I can really say about this movie is "what a boy flick." White male, god-like power, lots of money. Another white male, god-like power, lots of aggression and anger. The world revolves around him, he can do anything and beautiful girls fall at his feet. We briefly begin to explore his psychology in dealing with his new god like power and his sense of emptiness. Then we see him try to find something meaningful in the girl he left behind, but then the girl becomes his sole reason to be a hero. She is only there so he can have someone to save. She was so one note, just there to give him meaning. I want to know, why couldn't the other jumper have been a girl? Well obviously because then she would've had to have been the love interest. Well what if she was tough and intelligent and kicked ass, but wasn't the love interest? What if she was a lesbian? Would this be too threatening to the 14yr olds going to see the movie who all want to escape their crappy lives by having god-like power and women fall at their feet? Why can't we just stick with exploring his psyche? Everyone in the theater wished they could have his power, which is why we as a society are so obsessed with super hero movies lately, but none of them realized that he was actually miserable and alone with his power. So again this makes me think again of The Man Who Folded Himself. Daniel was the center of his universe yet so very alone that he could only ever be with himself.

If my superhero webseries can begin to transcend this need to be either action or drama, then I need to keep movies like Jumper in my mind. The industry doesn't even consider making movies like Jumper where women are more than just objects for the hero. (I made a note that perhaps Angelina Jolie in Wanted would be different, but sadly that was disappointing as well.) It is about time that movies like Jumper are turned are their head. I really think Hollywood is sorely missing a woman's perspective in the action genre. I think this is why the Batman franchise as always been successful, it mixes action with 2 psychologically warped people and one falls into villainy, an example of what Batman could become, and Batman is always struggling with how to be so cracked, flawed and broken, yet a hero. The trailer intrigues me because it is all about his struggle. "I see the man I have to become to stop men like him" and it scares him. I am really looking forward to that movie. Plus Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over Katie Holmes role as Rachel Dawes in probably the best casting decision of the decade. Dig to Katie, but yay for the rest of the world. Thank god they decided to admit their mistake with Holmes and fix it rather than just plow through as most honchos with power do.