Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • October 10, 2012 Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis star in ‘Looper’ by Dennis Seuling Time travel movies are open to all kinds of speculation and “what if” questions, allowing screenwriters wide parameters as they tell their stories. “Looper,” which combines that concept with futuristic organized crime and an efficient, nearly perfect way of disposing of bodies, tells the tale of young contract hit man, Joe (Joseph GordonLevitt). Joe lives in 2044, a time when time travel has not yet been perfected. But 30 years in the future, it has been, and crime bosses illegally use it to send victims into the past -- Joe’s present -- where Joe instantly kills them and gets rid of the body since, viewers are told, getting rid of bodies in 2074 is virtually impossible. Each hit is accompanied by instant payment in the form of silver bars strapped to the backs of the victims. This is Joe’s life when he isn’t partying hard and getting high on drugs applied as eye drops. As jobs go, hit man seems to be a good living, since most other folks are either bums or prostitutes. The one catch is that the crime syndicates that employ loopers eventually require these assassins to kill their future selves. This is referred to as “closing the loop.” When Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) shows up one day, Joe is not eager to close that loop, and when old Joe escapes, he is held accountable by his soft-spoken, yet Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis star in the time travel thriller, ‘Looper.’ lethal boss (a terrific Jeff Daniels). Young Joe is ordered to find and kill old Joe just as old Joe is trying to keep young Joe alive. If young Joe dies, there is no old Joe. To the credit of writer/director Rian Johnson, he manages to keep the viewer on track through the Möbius strip ramifications of the plot. Viewers have to accept the idea that two versions of oneself can exist in the same time frame. Once the audience accepts that concept, the film flows smoothly. A few more loops are layered on as the story unfolds, and there is a subplot involving telekinesis that seems a little too much for a movie already crammed full of brain-exercising bits and pieces. The two actors do not really resemble each other, but Gordon-Levitt has been given subtle prosthetic makeup to make him a more likely match for Willis. He has also adopted some of Willis’ trademark mannerisms, such as a squint just before a key line and that stage whisper of a voice. Gordon-Levitt originally wanted to play both roles with heavy makeup for the older character, which may have been more convincing. (My guess is that the producers wanted Bruce Willis’ name on the film to boost box office.) Ultimately, the two versions of Joe meet at a remote Edward Hopper-inspired diner for a sit-down to unload lots of exposition about the intervening 30 years. As they stare at each other, with identical plates of steak and eggs before them, the movie is at its best. The scene does not include a chase, gunfire, or an explosion. There are just two guys (or two versions of the same guy) trying to grasp the bizarre situation they face. Late in the film, viewers meet shotgun-toting Sara (Emily Blunt), a farmer who serves as protector of a child who turns out to have a significant role in the unfolding drama. This part of the film comes up fairly abruptly, and almost seems as if it strayed from another movie. It may be one plot element too many. Gordon-Levitt continues to build an impressive cinematic resume with “Looper.” It is initially hard to imagine him as a coldblooded killer, but he manages to convince. He always comes across as intelligent, and that quality serves him well here as he navigates the uncharted world of time travel and its effects. Willis has the easier role, as he is essentially playing the middle-aged version of his action star self. With guns blazing and a hail of bullets coming at him, his action scenes often fall into the realm of cliché, though they are excitingly filmed. The dystopian world of 2044 is reminiscent of “Blade Runner,” “Children of Men,” and “The Book of Eli” with its architecture, bleak cityscapes, unchecked vices, and breakdown of law and order. Director Johnson has crafted the kind of movie science fiction aficionados love to discuss. It’s a film for that demographic, to be sure, but also works as an action thriller with some nifty mystery elements. Rated R, “Looper” contains lots of violence and depicts drug use and sexual situations. Those who got a headache trying to figure out “Inception,” will be pleased to know that “Looper” is far more accessible and a lot easier to follow.