Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5860 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-09-24
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 96 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The weirdness of actor Nicolas Cage and the weirdness of science-fiction author Philip K. Dick seem like a natural fit. The premise, taken from a short story by Dick, is a good one: A mediocre Las Vegas magician named Chris Johnson (Cage) can see into the future--but only about two minutes at the most. Just enough to pull off his act and to make some money at the gambling tables, so long as he's discreet. Unfortunately, he hasn't been discreet enough; a government agent (Julianne Moore) has sussed out his precognitive talent and wants to use him to track down terrorists. But all Johnson cares about is a beautiful young woman (Jessica Biel, The Illusionist) that he can see in his future--much further in his future than he's ever seen before.

Next has flashes that point to a much, much better movie than it turned out to be. A sequence in which Johnson, clairvoyantly explores all the different permutations of how he might approach his mystery woman is both funny and thought-provoking, and when Johnson avoids pursuers by knowing just the right moment to turn a corner or duck his head, it's smart and suspenseful. Unfortunately, the terrorist part of the plot is utterly perfunctory and precognition is reduced to an action movie gimmick. Somewhere in there is the kernel of a romantic comedy about precognition that's just waiting to be made. Cage gives a solid if unsurprising performance, Moore is basically earning a paycheck, but Biel is unexpectedly good (and her part is considerably better-written than your usual romantic interest); her performance suggests a better future than anyone might have predicted. --Bret Fetzer

Synopsis
In the years since his novel DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? was brought to the screen as BLADE RUNNER (1982), Philip K. Dick's paranoid, futuristic works have frequently made the same leap---sometimes as brainy puzzlers (OPEN YOUR EYES, A SCANNER DARKLY), but more often as star-powered action vehicles (TOTAL RECALL, PAYCHECK). NEXT (based very loosely on Dick's short story 'The Golden Man') falls squarely in the latter category, with always-game Nicolas Cage as Cris Johnson, a man with the ability to see two minutes into the future. Afraid that all sorts of frightening demands will be made on him if the true scope of his ability becomes known, Johnson limits the use of his powers to a hokey, third-rate Vegas stage show and reading slot machines to gauge their payouts. Meanwhile, terrorists have imported a nuclear device into the US, with the intention of detonating it in a major metropolitan area, and FBI agent Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore) has discovered that Cris’s ability is no fake and that he might be able to prevent the disaster. Unfortunately for Cris, he has just met Liz Cooper (Jessica Biel), a gorgeous schoolteacher who gets more involved in this international intrigue than she had any intention to. Lee Tamahori (DIE ANOTHER DAY) keeps NEXT's action coming at an admirable clip, fully exploiting the film’s gimmick of several possible outcomes to every major crossroads that Cris encounters. Enough things explode, drive fast, and roll down hillsides to satiate any action fan looking for a well-oiled thrill machine. Cage and Moore are their usual likeable screen personas, Biel's Liz Cooper is a suitably crushworthy romantic interest, and Mark Isham's (CRASH, THE BLACK DAHLIA) score provides perfect accompaniment to the proceedings.

Customer Reviews

Why is everbody so unhappy?
When I saw all the poor reviews I felt I had to defend this film. This is not highbrow drama, made to make a bold statement about the human condition. This film is entertainment. Yes its unbelievable, Yes it has some dodgy plot twists and the end is not as conclusive as we have been led to expect in happy ending hollywood films. But does this matter. As a bit of a brainless film to watch its great. Doesnt pretend to be anything else. Goodies, Baddies, superpowers and the end of the world. Who needs more after a hard day. I saw it in the cinema and still bought the DVD. It honestly isnt as bad as its made out to be by some, just dont expect Shakespeare

Entertaining
I've been somewhat of a Cage fan since his brilliant double act with Sean Connery in "The Rock". Alas, nothing he's done since has come up to that standard (but then Connery tends to lend class to anything in which he appears). This cute little film is no exception. Nevertheless, I found this story of a guy who can see two minutes ahead to be rather entertaining - the trying out of various approaches to the girl of his dreams is particularly funny, as his his escape from the casino, in knowing precisely where to stand and where to turn every time, to avoid pursuing Federal agents. The terrorist plot, with its bizarre babble of languages, is, well, bizarre and unconvincing, and Julianne Moore has little to do except appear grim and determined. However, the ending is rather neat and surprising. Perfect fare for long airline flights and times when you don't want to be mentally stimulated.

Next
Marketed as a sci-fi-action movie, "Next" was a huge box office failure. And it's a somewhat strange mix of genres. It starts out as more of a drama about a psychic, Cris (Nicolas Cage), working in Las Vegas, who meets Liz (Jessica Biel), a woman he's previously seen in visions. We're also introduced to Agent Ferris (Julianne Moore) and her team, who are looking for a missing bomb and asks Cris for help. He reluctantly helps them when he realizes Liz may be in danger.

Then the viewer is rather abruptly thrown into fast, but quite uninspired action scenes with lots of shooting. Sometimes, Cris's special gift of seeing into the future seems a bit too convenient a way for him to get out of trouble. Before long, the movie is over, and the ending is something of a letdown.

"Next" felt like a pretty short movie, and it was not a bad way to spend an hour and a half, although I wouldn't recommend it for those looking for a non-stop action movie. It's entertaining, but not without flaws.