dir. Lee Tamahori
Next is an extremely difficult film to discuss. Not because it’s remotely complicated, although the film oozes self-importance over its own convoluted premise. Nicolas Cage plays a magician who can see a few minutes into his own future, although he acknowledges any future he sees cannot happen because he’s seen it, and also being around his love interest played by Jessica Biel lets him see further into the future than just a few minutes, and also for some reason the FBI firmly believe this magician is their key in fighting an impending nuclear threat. No, despite this twisting and turning and self-contradicting narrative, the film itself is not remotely complicated at all. The reason Next is difficult to talk about is because its ending is so cheap, so smug, so insulting, that it’s near impossible to discuss the movie without entering a fit of blind rage. No audience could ever see this film and feel satisfied or impressed. It is the absolute peak definition of a movie where nothing of substance happens – genuinely, nothing. An infuriating experience.
BMDb 