By Mark Saldana
Rating: 2.5 (Out of 4 Stars)
As far as time travel movies go, this one really had me instensely engaged. A sort of “Whodunnit, Why, and What the hell is really happening here?” Predestination works, until the answers to these questions are revealed. Ethan Hawke stars as a time traveling Temporal agent working for a futuristic law enforcement organization that works in preventing past crimes before they happen. His latest mission is to stop a terrorist from committing one of the worst bombings in human history. During his mission while working undercover, he meets an intriguing person (Sarah Snook) who shares an incredible story that reveals possible ties to the bombing as well as the agent’s own personal history.
Written and directed by brothers Michael and Peter Spierig, the film’s story has such a lovely, fascinating and thrilling setup that the revelation of what is really happening ultimately disappoints, confuses and makes little sense. The setup may have one asking, “What is really happening here?” However, the reveal will have one asking, “Seriously, is that what is really happening?” The why and how of things does frustrate and irritate, but the thrilling and engrossing journey there is undeniable. Hawke, Snook, and Noah Taylor, who stars as the head of the agency, all deliver stellar, and incredible performances. Snook’s multi-layered performance is a revelation in itself.