nextNext is loosely based on The Golden Man, a short sci-fi story you probably don’t know from 1954. The movie tells the story of a magician, Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage) , who is blessed and cursed with a gift to see 2 minutes into his own [yes! only him.] future.

He’s blessed, because this enables him to predict what’s coming at him, thus allowing him to ward off enemy attacks, Matrix style too! Yet he’s cursed, because this talent earned him torture at the hands of US government officials, who have put him though a battery of tests ever since he was a child.

Wanting to lead a normal life, away from his boyhood’s 36 –hour-marathon of ‘Guess-the-Flash-Card’ examinations, Cris lies low as a Vegas magician under a pseudonym, earning small amounts of casino winnings for a living.

Before FBI agent Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore) begins her chase for the very much sought after Cris, a witty little hint of why he refuses to help the government is shown in a shooting he tried to prevent.After pinning the gunner down, he was almost arrested because an observation from the CCTV by the police showed that it happened to look like he was the one with the gun.

More often than not, the poor man ends up in a predicament or hurting his loved ones when he tries to play hero.

And this is why he sticks to non-interference even when a Russian terrorist group threatens to set off a nuclear device that will endanger the lives of 8 million people.

These complications result in a number of plotlines, including having the formidable Ferris chase him because of his refusal to help and the Russian terrorists going after his life to shut him up for good.

He can’t stay uninvolved for long though, as Cris has to save the world and the love of his life, Liz (Jessica Biel), whom he has been seeing in premonitions exceeding his usual ability to see 2 minutes into the future. Cris would obviously have to save Liz from the Russian terrorists, who have abducted her, an easy hostage whose live Cris cherishes more than his own.

The (terrible) Wig

With only ¾ the hair he’s supposed to have, and curly hair at that, Cris, who’s supposed to be a glitzy Las Vegas magician, looks more like the old taxi driver having a pau (bun) at your local kopitiam (coffee shop) instead. No question Cage is one of the most recognisable male stars of his generation, but is that reason enough for director Lee Tamahori to have opted for such a zany haircut for him?

Alright, hairy issues aside, Cage played his role well, portraying his trademark suaveness, wit and that burning passion that women would die to have a taste of…That is if they could just forget his hair and concentrate on how passionate he is.

Cage is probably the only saving grace of the show, okay, perhaps the ‘too hot to handle’ Liz who comes out dressed in only a towel, before the both of them start making love, is another reason.

The Supposed Hoo-hah

In fact, it seems the 3D effects animators are trying too hard. So when Cris, who attempts shaking off the police by driving across a railway track, simply misses a dangerous rocketing device by a mere centimetre, the audience is prompted to think, “Chey, expected lah.”

nextAction junkies will not be entertained by several scenes reminiscent of video games such as Need for Speed and Grand Theft Auto. It lacks what an action flick is suppose to do, take your breath away. It is however, rather amusing to watch the movie and feel as if you’re on the game console. This is especially true in the car chase scenes and the ones which saw Cris running through a road full of cars, which makes you think he’s going to rob a car anytime (we don’t have the gift of foresight so we can only assume).

Also, the transitions from his premonitions to real life were a bit confusing at times. Luckily enough at least one thing was for sure: Cris’ hilarious predicted failed attempts to hook up with Liz, which he obviously did not try to execute because it was a definite no-no. Good ole’ Cris had something else up his sleeve.

The Final Verdict

This film’s genre includes a mixture of action/adventure, sci-fi/fantasy and thriller. And this is what you’ll get.

A little bit of everything.

Unfortunately, I would say that this fusion of genres actually backfires because it gives you a film that winds up quite surreal.

Next is not for people who can’t stand endings which leave them irritated and unsettled. Once you watch the show, you will understand why it lasts only 1 hr 36min. Tamahori has smartly wrapped up the entire story by keeping the movie short (otherwise it would just go on and on), though at the expense of leaving the audience with gritted teeth, feeling very irked.

Cage is also in very familiar territory, managing to retain a role of a character who detests having the superhuman abilities he owns. In the City of Angels, Cage was an angel who wanted to be human instead. And in the more recent Ghost Rider, Cage obviously didn’t much appreciate his super powers either. The only difference is that these 2 movies are worth watching compared to Next.

Perhaps it was Cage’s prophetic wisdom that got this show named Next, after all, it certainly is worth skipping.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Movie Details
Opens: May 17
Runtime: 96 min
Language: English
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel
Director: Lee Tamahori