Next (2007 film)
Next | |
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Directed by | Lee Tamahori |
Screenplay by |
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Based on | "The Golden Man" by Philip K. Dick |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $78.1 million[2] |
Box office | $77.6 million[3] |
Next is a 2007 American sci-fi action thriller film directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Thomas Kretschmann, Tory Kittles, and Peter Falk. The film's original script was loosely based on the 1954 science fiction short story "The Golden Man" by Philip K. Dick. The film tells the story of Cris Johnson, a small-time magician based in Las Vegas, who has limited precognition. His ability allows him to see into the very immediate future. His gift not only makes him a target of a highly motivated and heavily armed group of terrorists, but also puts him in the crosshairs of the FBI who want to recruit him to oppose those terrorists instead.
The film was released on April 25, 2007, in Belgium and France, and on April 27, 2007, in the United States by
It was the first Revolution Studios film to be distributed by Paramount Pictures, followed by 2017's XXX: Return of Xander Cage.
Plot
Cris Johnson can see into his future. He can only see two minutes ahead, with the exception of a vision he once had of a woman walking into a diner. Knowing no details other than the time, he goes to the diner twice each day at 8:09 to await her arrival. He works as a small-time magician in Las Vegas, where he supplements his income with gambling, using his powers to win medium amounts against the house.
Cris draws the attention of NSA Agent Callie Ferris, who has figured out his ability and wants to stop Russian terrorists from detonating a nuclear weapon. Before she can approach Cris, his gambling draws the attention of casino security. Using his ability to forecast the actions of his pursuers, he eludes them and the Las Vegas police. Ferris tracks Cris to his location, but he escapes after foreseeing her arrival. Later that night, the casino's security chief is approached by two of the terrorists and interrogated about Johnson before being killed.
The following morning, Cris is at the diner again when he sees Liz Cooper, the woman from his vision. It turns out that Cris can not only see the future, but also see how his actions can affect that future. When Liz's aggressive ex-boyfriend arrives, Johnson envisions all outcomes of his intervening, and then chooses the outcome that gets him "in" with Liz. Knowing that she is heading for Flagstaff, Arizona, Cris tricks her into giving him a ride. Ferris follows, while the terrorists decide to kill him.
With the weapon tracked to Los Angeles, Ferris persuades her superiors to let her bring Cris in. The terrorists follow in the hope that the agents will lead them to Cris.
Cris and Liz have to spend the night in a motel. Ferris confronts Liz near the hotel. Claiming Cris is a dangerous sociopath, Ferris asks Liz to drug Cris so that they can bring him in peacefully. Instead, Liz warns Cris, who tells her his secret. When she asks why he will not help the FBI stop the terrorists, he explains his limitations, noting the exception for events involving her. Cris tries to escape from the FBI but is captured after saving Ferris from logs tumbling down the side of a mountain. Unable to get to Cris, the terrorists kidnap Liz.
The NSA strap Cris to a chair and force him to watch television until he has a vision that can help. They expect him to see a report about the detonation of the bomb, but instead he envisions a broadcast from several hours in the future in which Liz is killed with a bomb vest while strapped to a wheelchair as bait for him. Cris escapes and races to the parking garage where she will be killed. Catching up to him, Ferris promises to help save Liz as long as Cris will help stop the bomb; she also sets up a plan to draw out the terrorists.
Cris helps the NSA track the terrorists to the port where they are based. When they arrive, Cris is able to walk right up to the terrorist leader while using his power to dodge bullets. After killing the terrorists and saving Liz, they find that the bomb has already been moved. Ferris shows Cris a
The timeline reverts a full day to Cris and Liz in bed at the hotel in Arizona, before Ferris arrived. Because of Liz's involvement in events, Cris has now been able to envision everything that could happen leading to the nuclear explosion. "Every time you look into the future, it changes."
Cris calls Ferris and offers to help prevent the nuclear disaster, then asks Liz to wait for him.
Cast
- Nicolas Cage as Cris Johnson / Frank Cadillac, The Magician
- Julianne Moore as NSA Agent Callie Ferris
- Jessica Biel as Elizabeth Cooper
- Thomas Kretschmann as Mr. Smith
- Tory Kittles as NSA Agent Cavanaugh
- Peter Falk as Irv
- Jim Beaver as NSA Director Wisdom
- Enzo Cilenti as Mr. Jones
- Jason Butler Harner as Jeff Baines
- Jose Zunigaas Security Chief Roybal
- Sergej Trifunović as Mr. White
- Jack Ong as Man from Korea
- Jessica Barth as Pretty Blonde
- Bonita Friedericy as Cashier Girl
- Paul Rae as Road Crew Foreman
Production
Original draft
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2012) |
This first draft had more similarities to the short story, detailing the efforts of a government agency to capture and contain a
To provide greater interaction between the opposing parties (as well as create a leading role), Cris was changed from a feral animal whose existence threatened humanity's into a more familiar and understandable social outcast. A romantic subplot was added: the character of Liz Cooper, who in this draft was not only destined to be the love of Cris's life, but a mutant as well (born in Love Canal) and the only woman he has ever met with whom he can have children, herself incapable of procreating with normal humans.
As the original short story had a distinct tone of racist paranoia, the motivation for the pursuit of Cris was changed from an ironclad policy of exterminating mutations to a manipulative
This script was filled with anti-authoritarian themes, with Cris often speaking clearly and eloquently of how he enjoys his independence. He states plainly that "what I want is freedom. And you don't get it by giving it up."
The DHS is explicitly depicted as a completely unregulated, astoundingly powerful and unapologetically ruthless collection of fanatics, breaking laws without consideration and eager to
However, his enemies are skilled tormentors and eventually they drive him to the breaking point: when the DHS learns that Liz is pregnant with his child, they coldly decide to have her executed at a pre-determined time, thus pre-emptively proving to Cris their determination to possess him. He attempts to secure Liz's safety, but the DHS captures her. In retaliation, he demolishes the Las Vegas DHS headquarters with a barrel of C-4 explosive agents had seized earlier in a warrant-less search. He and Liz are the only survivors.
Saturn re-draft
Saturn Films had the script extensively rewritten and in the process almost completely eliminated its anti-authoritarian themes. Though Cris remained a meek social outcast, he is somewhat less sympathetic: he is portrayed as arrogant, as well as far more prone to applying violent solutions. The DHS's role was replaced with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Despite a scene in which Cris experiences his worst nightmare – spending the rest of his life strapped into a chair with his eyes wedged open – the authorities are portrayed as sympathetic and Cris as uncooperative and belligerent. Their insistence on his obedience is reduced to the point that the authorities offer their assistance in rescuing Liz (whom they neglect to arrest despite her efforts to sabotage Cris's capture) from the terrorists. This leads to the film's greatest variation from the original draft – a confrontation with the terrorists. No clue is given as to the motivation for the terrorists' detonation of the nuclear device in Los Angeles. The few terrorists who speak in the film with British, French and German accents, seem to be under the guidance of an unseen leader who has told them that they must kill Cris since "he says that Cris is the only threat to the plan". During the confrontation with the terrorists, Cris willingly supports the FBI with his abilities in a series of sequences similar to those in the original script, only with the authorities as allies instead of antagonists.
This was the script Saturn Films brought to the attention of
In May 2006,
Filming
Sections of the film were filmed in the San Bernardino Mountains in California. Mountain locations used in production of the film included Crestline, Running Springs and Big Bear Lake. The hotel featured in the film, "The Cliffhanger", is actually a restaurant overlooking the City of San Bernardino. In order to make the restaurant look more like a hotel, a facade was attached to the building. The facade is the section of the motel where Johnson and Liz Cooper were staying. Interior shots were filmed elsewhere. Following the end of production, the facade was removed. However, remnants of the signage placed and the paint works conducted remain intact. Running Springs served for scenes shot in the town. Scenes (in which a vehicle was rolled off the side of a cliff) shot in Big Bear Lake were shot at a campground. Due to the terrain located on the side of the cliff the Cliffhanger is located on, the producers decided to finish the scenes at the campground in Big Bear Lake.[11]
Next originally was to be distributed by
Reception
Box office
The film opened at #3 at the U.S. box office, grossing $7.1 million in 2,725 theaters in its opening weekend.
Critical response
Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 28% based on 128 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Numerous plot holes and poorly motivated characters prevent Next from being the thought-provoking sci-fi flick it could've been."[15] Metacritic gives the film an average score of 42 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]
Justin Chang of
Moira MacDonald of the
The film was subject to the heckling of
Thematic analysis
The technique the protagonist uses to see into the future has been compared to the video game concept of savescumming.[28]
References
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (November 3, 2005). "Initial board Revolution sci-fi thriller Next". Screen International. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ Lang, Brent (September 1, 2011). "'Inside the Revolution Library: Where Joe Roth Went Wrong". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- ^ a b "Next (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/Next-GaryGoldman.pdf Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Cohen, David S. (November 11, 2004). "Revolution turns to Sci-Fi". Variety. Archived from the original on September 12, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
- ^ Cohen, David S. (December 6, 2004). "Moore Mulls Her 'Next' Pic". Variety. Archived from the original on September 12, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
- ^ Cohen, David S.; Laporte, Nicole (November 2, 2005). "Initial's Boarding 'Next'". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
- ^ Fleming, Michael (February 22, 2006). "Biel Ready for 'Next' Project". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
- ^ Riddell, Robert (May 24, 2006). "'Looking' for action". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
- ^ "Marcus Welch Wins Looking for Stars". Reality TV Magazine. September 12, 2006. Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
- Paramount Pictures Corporation, Next DVD
- Amazon.com. Archivedfrom the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
- ^ "Next (2007) - Weekend Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on May 18, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
- ^ "Philip K. Dick Movies". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
- ^ "Next (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ "Next (2007): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Archived from the original on June 10, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ Chang, Justin (April 26, 2007). "Next Review - Variety.com". Variety. Archived from the original on September 13, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Berardinelli, James. "Review: Next". ReelViews. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Ogle, Connie (April 27, 2007). "Prediction: You'll Want Your Money Back". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on June 23, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Howell, Peter (April 27, 2007). "'Next': Lousy Timing". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ MacDonald, Moira (April 27, 2007). "Yeah, 'Next!' Is What We Say, Too". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on November 26, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Sanford, James. "James Sanford Reviews Next". Kalamazoo Gazette. Archived from the original on July 2, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Eagan, Daniel. "Next". Film Journal International. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Moore, Roger (April 27, 2007). "Who Says Preposterous Junk Can't Be Fun?". Orlando Sentinel. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ Wesley Morris (April 27, 2007). "Cage's Star Power Saves Next". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Saenger, Diana. "An Entertaining Escape". ReviewExpress.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- ^ Jones, Bridget; Nelson, Michael J. (October 2007). "Next on Rifftrax". Rifftrax.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2008.
- Escapist Magazine. Archivedfrom the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
There's a rather striking sequence that sticks out in my mind in which Cage needs to search a large building in a short time, and so uses his powers to essentially save scum. This is represented by showing him split into two Nicolas Cages every time he reaches a fork, until an entire army of Nicolas Cages are wandering through the halls until one of them finds whatever they're looking for and so becomes the "true" version of Nicolas Cage.
External links
- Next at AllMovie
- Next at Box Office Mojo
- Next at IMDb
- Next at Metacritic
- Next at Rotten Tomatoes
- Next at the TCM Movie Database