Looper - A Successfully Executed Exploration of Time-Travel

Rating: 9/10 (27 September 2012)

'Looper' stands out as one of the most well executed time-travel films to come out of Hollywood. Not only does it successfully execute a rounded narrative , but the characters and their motivations are clear and unwavering.
Joe is a professional hit-man, who murders people for money - from the future, he is called a Looper. Circa 2070, time travel is outlawed and only used by powerful members of the mob. Thus, they send anyone they want killed back to 2040, thus erasing them from existence in their present. He is shocked when he himself is sent back, (Bruce Willis) and this older version escapes assassination. While on the surface, it seems like a cat-and-mouse type of film, the intricacies in character development and plot make this film much more than that.
Writer/director Rian Johnson certainly succeeds in dictating the laws of time travel in his universe. Any fans of 'Primer' will certainly enjoy this film, and 'Primer' creator/star Shane Carruth actually consulted on the time travel elements on this film.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is convincing as not only a Bruce Willis look-alike, but he nails the facial nuances and vocal cadences. While the make-up is a little distracting at times, it's not ridiculous, and in fact is in the vain of the Back to the Future prosthetics, which for their time, were quite effective in making the actors look 30 years older.
Bruce Willis gives one of the most intriguing and convincing performances of his career and Emily Blunt is a flawless and well-placed character. Jeff Daniels plays a small but crucial role and portrays the menacing employer very well.
A special mention should go out to Pierce Gagnon, who plays a six-year-old crucial to the plot. Without giving too much away, his performance and timing is impressive for such a young lad.
This is a film you need to concentrate in. You'll probably even be asking yourself in your head 'isn't he (that character) but younger?' 'How can that happen if that happened?'. And this is the complex beauty of the time travel narrative. My advice would be to just let it wash over you. Enjoy the ride.