Looper
by Chiara Spagnoli
Have you ever asked yourself “if only I could turn back time?” The new American science-fiction film written and directed by Rian Johnson actually deals with the topic of time travel.
In a futuristic gangland in the year 2044, 25-year-old Joseph Simmons (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), is a ‘looper’, i.e. a professional hit man working for a mob company, who is sent to kill and dispose of agents sent back in time by their employers. Loopers are paid with silver on the condition that all targets must never escape and when crime bosses want to end a looper's contract, they send the older version of a looper back to be killed by his younger self and pay with gold: this is referred to as ‘closing the loop’. The mechanism is bound to crack: when all the loopers seem to be ‘ending their contract’, one of Joseph’s friends triggers a domino effect. Joseph will thusly face his future-self (Bruce Willis), who will try to persuade him to take action against the mafia organisation.
Moods and atmospheres recall those of many movies with metaphysical flair, from ‘The Exorcist’ to ‘Inception.’ Undeniably, ‘Looper’ is conceptually big, bold and brave enough to stand alongside the milestones of cinematographic time travel like ‘Back To The Future,’ ‘The Terminator,’ and Willis’ own ‘12 Monkeys.’ But besides the adventurous side to the story, there’s a quintessentially existential focus. Along with time travel and the fight between good and evil, the movie is about family issues, how it makes a difference the way you are raised. Still in the year 2044. And how it can affect your perception of life egotistically or selflessly.
What is beautifully striking and powerful is the confrontation between two different generations, especially because in this case the individual is the same, 30 years before (Gordon-Levitt) or later (Willis); and to be surprised by the choices made by the young and rash as opposed to the more mature and presumably wiser one. A twist of acumen will reverse stereotypes.