Predestination is a time travel thriller based on the Robert Heinlein story "-All You Zombies-". Ethan Hawke is a temporal agent part of the Temporal Bureau whose job it is to go back in time and prevent major crimes from happening. Hawke is on the hunt for a terrorist known as the "Fizzle Bomber" when he is severely burned. He awakens with a whole knew face and close to retirement. He is sent back on a mission regarding his potential replacement, John/Jane(Sarah Snook) and a convoluted and bizarre story unfolds.
The time travel element of the film is clean and satisfying, there is however a lengthy digression into Hawke's potential replacements back-story which although interesting is utterly independent of the idea of time travel. This thirty minute expositional sidetrack is discordant with the conceit of the film as well as the action before and after it. There is a transgender element to the narrative which is not exploitive but seems a bit odd due to the circumstances. It feels like a pure plot construct rather than related to any character driven truth.
As the movie progresses twists, paradoxes, and revelations are dolled out accordingly. But ultimately no real discoveries are made and the story doesn't take full advantage of its intriguing temporal possibilities relying more on its bizarre concluding epiphany.
Rent It.
Alan Turing and his place in history is unarguably important unfortunately The Imitation Game injects mediocre syrupy drama into an otherwise compelling biography. Benedict Cumberbatch's Turing is more weepy brat than genius, more Rain Man than scientist. Turing's homosexual prosecution is not ignored but it is relegated to the epilogue almost as an after thought with only minimal implied criticism.
A significant man's life relegated to pedestrian Oscar bait.
Don't See It.
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