Predestination (film)
| Predestination | |
|---|---|
 Australian poster | |
| Directed by | The Spierig Brothers |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | The Spierig Brothers |
| Based on |
"'—All You Zombies—'" by Robert A. Heinlein |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Peter Spierig |
| Cinematography | Ben Nott |
| Edited by | Matt Villa |
Production company |
|
| Distributed by |
Pinnacle Films Stage 6 Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 97 minutes[1] |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4.3 million[2] |
Predestination is a 2014 Australian science fiction mystery thriller film written and directed by The Spierig Brothers, based on the 1959 short story "'—All You Zombies—'" by Robert A. Heinlein. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook and Noah Taylor.
Plot
The film begins in medias res as a time travelling agent is trying to disarm a bomb that explodes and burns his face. Someone approaches and helps him to grasp his time travelling device, then brings him to a hospital in the future. While the agent is recovering from facial reconstruction, we learn that he has been trying to prevent the "Fizzle Bomber"'s attack on New York, in 1975. After his recovery he receives his last assignment.
The agent moves to 1970 New York. As a bartender, he starts a conversation with one of the customers. The customer, John, writes true confession articles under the pen name "The Unmarried Mother". This pseudonym is explained by his own life story, which he tells the bartender. The customer grew up as "Jane" in an orphanage. She excelled in her studies but had difficulty fitting in. Jane decided any children she had would be raised in a proper family, and thus avoided relationships. As an adult she applied for a program called "Space Corp", which promised women the chance to go to space while providing astronauts R&R, but she was later disqualified because of a medical condition which she was not informed of, which a man named Robertson was interested in. Jane later met a man who said he was waiting for someone. The two fell in love with each other, but later the man disappeared. Robertson approached Jane, revealing that Space Corp worked for the Temporal Agency, and this agency now wanted to recruit her. They broke off contact when it was discovered that Jane was pregnant with her ex-lover's baby. While performing a Caesarean section, doctors discovered she was intersex, with internalized male sex organs as well as female sex organs. Complications during the birth forced them to remove her female sex organs, and she had to undergo a gender reassignment and begin living as a man. Furthermore, the baby was stolen by a mysterious man. Since then, John has been living a bitter life as "The Unmarried Mother".
The agent offers to take John back to the day that Jane met the lover who left her, so John can take revenge and kill him for ruining her life. In return, John will take over the agent's job for whatever duration he wishes. The agent reveals his time travel device and the two jump to that day in 1963. John prepares to kill his past lover before he can meet Jane. While waiting, he encounters Jane, and when they begin talking, John realizes that Jane's lover was him. The baby born from this "self-fertilization" is stolen by the agent and brought to the orphanage 18 years earlier, in 1945. Therefore, Jane, John, and their baby are the same person, revealing a predestination paradox.
The agent goes to 1975 New York, where he helps the burned man from the beginning of the film. The agent returns to 1963, a few months after he dropped John off. John has to leave Jane behind and is brought to the Temporal Agency. He now takes over the job so the agent can retire in 1975 New York, close to the day of the Fizzle Bomber's attack. The agent's time-travel device does not decommission itself as planned and can still be used. He has been ordered to check a launderette at the moment the Fizzle Bomber will be there. The Fizzle Bomber turns out to be the agent's own future self, now suffering from psychosis as a result of excessive time travel. The Fizzle Bomber insists that his actions have saved and will save more lives than the lives lost, and that they ultimately lead to the reinforcement of the Temporal Agency. He tries to convince the agent that the only way to end the cycle is to spare his life, unlike the Fizzle Bomber did in his past. The agent denies he will ever become the Fizzle Bomber and kills his future self.
The film finally reveals that in 1975, John is the man who travelled to New York and was burned while disarming a bomb. His subsequent facial reconstruction significantly changes his appearance, and it is now clear that Jane, John, the agent, and the Fizzle Bomber are the same person. This agent's creation was orchestrated by Robertson to create an agent who has no ties to time. This "perfect" temporal agent was responsible for both his own conception and death; he has driven the predestination paradox to its limit.
Cast
- Ethan Hawke as The Barkeep
- Sarah Snook as The Unmarried Mother/Jane
- Monique Heath as 10-year-old Jane
- Olivia Sprague as 5-year-old Jane
- Noah Taylor as Mr. Robertson
- Madeleine West as Mrs. Stapleton
- Christopher Kirby as Agent Miles
- Freya Stafford as Alice
- Jim Knobeloch as Dr. Belfort
- Christopher Stollery as The Interviewer
- Tyler Coppin as Dr. Heinlein
- Rob Jenkins as Mr. Jones
Timeline
| Agent Chronology | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1981 | Time travel is invented, allowing travelers to go as far forward as 2034 or as far back as 1928. |
| 1 | 1964-Feb | Baby Jane is born to John and Jane. |
| 2 | 1964-Mar-02 | Baby Jane is kidnapped by Agent Doe. |
| 3 | 1945-Sep | Baby Jane is left at Cleveland Orphanage. |
| 4 | 1963-Apr-03 | At Cleveland College, Jane meets John, who realizes he is his own lover. |
| 5 | 1963-Jun-24 | Jane is abandoned by John, who leaves with Agent Doe to become a temporal agent. |
| 6 | 1965-Jan | Jane becomes John after eleven months of surgery and recovery. |
| 7 | 1970-Nov-06 | In New York, John meets Agent Doe in a bar, where he is convinced to go back in seven years time to kill the man who broke his heart, his future self. |
| 8 | 1985-Aug-12 | John is left at the Temporal Bureau to recover from a 22-year time jump. |
| 9 | 1985-Aug-13 | John is given his Field Kit, becoming Agent Doe. |
| 10 | 1970-Mar-02 | In New York, Future Agent Doe fights the Fizzle Bomber, who escapes. Past Agent Doe attempts to disarm the Fizzle Bomber's bomb, but it explodes, damaging his face. Reaching for his Field Kit, he is assisted by Future Agent Doe. |
| 11 | 1992-Feb-21 | Agent Doe returns to the Temporal Bureau, where he is left to undergo surgery and heal before his final mission. |
| 12 | 1975-Jan-07 | Agent Doe retires to New York, but his Field Kit fails to decommission. |
| 13 | 1975-Mar-06 | Agent Doe kills the Fizzle Bomber, his future self, thus becoming the Fizzle Bomber. |
| 14 | 1974 | In Chicago, Illinois, the Fizzle Bomber prevents a chemical spill by destroying the chemical company, preventing the potential drunk driver from going into work, saving 324 lives from the original 350+ death toll. |
| 15 | 1975 | In Los Angeles, California, the Fizzle Bomber prevents an extremist group from igniting a bomb, decreasing the original 1,081 death toll. |
| 16 | 1991-Apr-03 | In Hamburg, Germany, the Fizzle Bomber prevents the deaths of 1,861 people. |
| 17 | 1968 | In Boston, Massachusetts, the Fizzle Bomber prevents the Hardshaw Weapons Factory Heist by destroying the factory, preventing the deaths of 3,027 people. |
| 18 | 1970 | In Melbourne, Australia, the Fizzle Bomber prevents the Flinders Street Station train crash. |
Production
Development
On 14 May 2012, the Spierig brothers—who had already written a screenplay—were announced as the directors of Predestination.[3] Peter Spierig explained in August 2014 that they remained close to Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 short story.[4] They did not try to take apart the logic of the more than 50-year-old narrative: "... so we [Spierig brothers] worked on the logic that if there was a way to pick apart the logic, over that time it would have been done by now. We kind of say, 'let's trust the short story and trust that logic', so we stuck very closely to it."[5]
Hawke was selected for the lead role, while Wolfhound Pictures and Blacklab Entertainment collaborated to produce the film.[6] Hawke explained in November 2014 that he is a longtime fan of the science fiction genre, but prefers its human elements, rather than special effects:
Whether it's Robert Heinlein, Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick, H. G. Wells or whoever ... that kind of mind-bendy science-fiction where you can really attack themes in a new way. And when I read Predestination it was like: "What the fuck did I just read?!"[4]
Distribution
Arclight Films had bought the international rights to the film,[6] and on 18 May 2012, Tiberius Film attained the German rights to the film from Arclight.[7] On 23 May 2012, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions acquired the American and some international rights to the film.[8]
Financing
On 5 September 2012, Screen Australia announced that it would finance the film as part of a A$5.5 million (US$5.6 million) investment in three feature films.[9]
Casting
On 28 February 2013, Snook signed on to star in one of the film's lead roles,[10] followed by Taylor, who joined the cast of the film on 13 May 2013. Also in 2013, Pinnacle Films secured the Australian and New Zealand distribution rights to the film.[11]
Filming
On 19 February 2013, pre-production was scheduled to begin on 25 February 2013, while shooting was scheduled to begin on 8 April 2013 in Melbourne, Australia, for a duration of six weeks.[12] By 13 May 2013, filming was underway.[11] Filming predominantly took place at the Docklands Studios Melbourne facility, located approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from the city of Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD).[13] Scenes from the film were shot at the Abbotsford Convent, located in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford, and at the RMIT Design Hub.[5]
In regard to Snook, the brothers explained to the media that they always seek to cast a lesser-known actor in their films. Michael Spierig later compared Snook's acting ability to that of fellow Australian actress Cate Blanchett. They also said that they prefer to film in Australia, with its rebates and incentives, but will film in any geographical location.[5]
Release
On 5 February 2014, some images from the film were released,[14] and on 21 July 2014, the first Australian trailer for the film was released.[15] On 25 September, another official trailer was released.[16]
The film's global premiere was held on 8 March 2014 at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, United States (US).[17] The film was then selected for the opening night gala of the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), held at the Hamer Hall venue on 31 July 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. The MIFF promotional material described the film as a "distinctive blend of sci-fi, noir and crime fiction with a Bukowskian streak."[18] The Sydney, Australia, premiere of the film, which also featured a live Q&A session with the directors, occurred on 6 August 2014 at the Palace Verona cinema.[19]
The film went on general release in the United Kingdom on 13 February 2015.[4] Following the release of two trailers, and a seven-minute excerpt that was published on 3 December 2014, the film premiered on 9 January 2015 in the United States.[20]
Critical response
Predestination received generally positive reviews from critics, with the time-loop elements and the performance of Sarah Snook receiving overwhelming universal acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, the film has a score of 84% based on 100 reviews with an average rating of 6.9 out of 10. The site's critical consensus states: "Fun genre fare with uncommon intelligence, Predestination serves as a better-than-average sci-fi adventure -- and offers a starmaking turn from Sarah Snook."[21] The film also has a score of 69 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 28 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[22]
In Variety magazine's review of the film, the writer presented an "entrancingly strange time-travel saga" that "succeeds in teasing the brain and touching the heart even when its twists and turns keep multiplying well past the point of narrative sustainability."[17] In anticipation of the MIFF opening night's screening, the Sydney Morning Herald's National Film Editor Karl Quinn highlighted Snook's performance, describing it as a "career-making role". In terms of the plot, Quinn states that it is "intriguing" even though it could "unravel at the slightest tug on a thread of loose logic."[23]
The lead character was variously described as transgender or intersex in different media articles.[24] Hawke told the UK's Guardian publication prior to the film's UK release date that transgender issues are not the focal point of the film, but rather that the narrative is relevant to all people: "There's something about Predestination that actually does get at identity, for me".[4]
Accolades
| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| AACTA Award (4th)[25] |
Best Film | Paddy McDonald | Nominated |
| Tim McGahan | Nominated | ||
| Spierig brothers | Nominated | ||
| Best Direction | Nominated | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Sarah Snook | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | Ben Nott | Won | |
| Best Editing | Matt Villa | Won | |
| Best Original Music Score | Peter Spierig | Nominated | |
| Best Production Design | Matthew Putland | Won | |
| Best Costume Design | Wendy Cork | Nominated | |
| ASE Award | Best Editing in a Feature Film | Matt Villa | Nominated |
| AFCA Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Spierig brothers | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Sarah Snook | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Ben Nott | Nominated | |
| ACS Award | Award of Distinction | Won | |
| FCCA Awards | Best Film | Paddy McDonald | Nominated |
| Tim McGahan | Nominated | ||
| Spierig brothers | Nominated | ||
| Best Director | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Sarah Snook | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | Ben Nott | Nominated | |
| Best Editing | Matt Villa | Won | |
| Best Music Score | Peter Spierig | Nominated | |
| Best Production Design | Matthew Putland | Won | |
| Toronto After Dark Film Festival | Special Award for Best Sci-Fi Film | Won | |
| Special Award for Best Screenplay | Spierig brothers | Won | |
| Audience Award for Best Feature Film | 2nd place | ||
See also
References
- ↑ "PREDESTINATION (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
- ↑ "Predestination". Box Office Mojo. 2014. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
- ↑ McNary, Dave (14 May 2012). "'Predestination' eyes early 2013 shoot". variety.com. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Alex Godfrey (29 November 2014). "Ethan Hawke: 'Mining your life is the only way to stumble on anything real'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- 1 2 3 Michael Bodey (20 August 2014). "Spierig brothers tackle time travel in their new movie 'Predestination'". The Australian. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
- 1 2 Shaw, Lucas (14 May 2012). "Arclight Films Acquires Spierig Bros.' 'Predestination'". thewrap.com. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ Roxborough, Scott (18 May 2012). "Tiberius Takes Ethan Hawke Thriller 'Predestination'". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ Kit, Borys (23 May 2012). "Ethan Hawke Time-Travel Thriller 'Predestination' Bought By Sony". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ "Screen Australia Backs Ethan Hawke 'Predestination', 2 Other Projects". deadline.com. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ "Sarah Snook Set To Star Opposite Ethan Hawke In 'Predestination'". deadline.com. 28 February 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- 1 2 Blatchford, Emily (13 May 2013). "Noah Taylor joins Hawke, Snook in Predestination cast". if.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ Swift, Brendan (19 February 2013). "Spierig brothers' Predestination to shoot in April". if.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ Quinn, Karl (20 February 2013). "Ethan Hawke to make sci-fi film in Melbourne". smh.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ "New 'Predestination' Imagery Hunts Itself From the Future!". bloody-disgusting.com. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ Anderton, Ethan (21 July 2014). "Ethan Hawke Time Travels in the Aussie Trailer for 'Predestination'". firstshowing.net. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Anderton, Ethan (25 September 2014). "Ethan Hawke Stops Crime Before It Happens in 'Predestination' Trailer". firstshowing.net. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- 1 2 Chang, Justin (9 March 2014). "SXSW Film Review: 'Predestination'". variety.com. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ "MIFF Opening Night Gala 2014". Melbourne International Film Festival. Melbourne International Film Festival. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- ↑ "Predestination Sydney Premiere and Q&A with Spierig Brothers". Palace Cinemas. Palace Cinemas. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- ↑ Evan Dickson. "Ethan Hawke Is Looking Rough In This Seven Minute PREDESTINATION Opening Scene". Collider. Complex. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- ↑ "PREDESTINATION (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster, 89Inc. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- ↑ "PREDESTINATION (2015)". Metacritic. Metacritic. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
- ↑ Karl Quinn (30 July 2014). "MIFF 2014 review: Predestination". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- ↑ Henry Barnes (10 March 2014). "Predestination has Ethan Hawke running out of time". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- ↑ "AACTA Winners & Nominees - 4th AACTA Awards". AFI / AACTA. AACTA. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
External links
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Wikiquote has quotations related to: Predestination (film) |
- Predestination at the Internet Movie Database
- Predestination at Box Office Mojo
- Predestination at Rotten Tomatoes
- Predestination at Metacritic