The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of: Jumper

The Good:

1. Jamie Bell. Ok....Jumper is not a great movie by any means. Nor is it a long one....only 83 minutes. However, whenever Jamie Bell was on screen, it was a little bit easier to take. He gives the film a shot of energy that is sorely missed whenever he is off screen.

2. Hayden Christensen's Looks. I'm only human. He does doff his shirt a few times in the movie, I'm all for that...keep me watching.

3. Lack of moral issues. Christensen's character is a bit of a bastard. Early on, we discover he earns his money by robbing banks, yet nothing is made of this fact in a moral way. In fact, he never uses his powers for "good", even when shown an opportunity. Good for the screenwriters. Not everyone with superpowers has to be a do-gooder.

The Bad:

1. Hayden Christensen's acting. I thought he was wooden in the Star Wars films because that was how Lucas directed him. Perhaps I was wrong. He tackles this role with too much intensity which only makes him seem stiffer.

2. She-Who-I-Will-Not-Name. She plays his mother in the film. Total screen time is only about 3 minutes (which is a good thing). Someday I'll go into why I'm against her.

3. The Plot Issues. There are a number of plot issues that affect the credibility of the film. I'll mention two. One--at the beginning of the film, Christensen's character is 13 and supposedly learns about his ability for the first time. Later, it is established he actually used his ability for the first time when he was only 5 years old. If I developed the ability to teleport at age 5, I think I'd remember that. I have memories from when I was five. Two--just at the moment when it look like the bad guys have been shaken off....suddenly the bad guys just happen to have a machine that will allow them to continue. How convienent.

The Ugly:

1. Sam Jackson's Hair:



What the hell is that? Why does he even have it? There is a tretise to be found somewhere in the correlation between a movies quality and the villian's hairstyle. There is absolutely no reason to have a discolored Chia Pet as hair. It's just distracting.

Verdict: Rent it.