A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Premonition

Date Viewed: 4/1/07

Details:

Sandra Bullock

Julian McMahon

Shyann McClure

Courtney Taylor Burness

Irene Ziegler

Amber Valletta

Director: Mennan Yapo

Score: +

The Review: "I wake up, and my husband's dead. I wake up, and he's alive. This is more than mere inconsistency!" Sandra Bullock is a housewife and mother of two, who gets the disturbing news that her husband has died tragically in a traffic accident -- and then, the "next day," finds him in the shower. No wonder she's confused, in shock, in denial, angry, pissed off, and very puzzled. And we, the viewers, are not that far behind.

This could be an extremely confusing, wildly nonlinear movie. Or it could be schizophrenia viewed from the wrong side of a psychotic break, with the source of the break the puzzle of the movie. Or it could be a paranormal experience through the eyes of a reluctant seer. I think a resolution is indeed offered, but you're kept in the dark for much of the movie, and most of the audience will probably find this extremely dissatisfying. Having to reconstruct the past incrementally, several times, iteratively, while watching as the movie continues without pause, is not an intellectual effort I suspect most will want to invest. I cannot say it's worth it for you, but if you enjoy possibly paranormal mysteries with jolting terminal plot twists, this may be an entertaining effort. I suspect that my perception of this movie may not be shared by many others -- but then, I preferred this puzzle to untangling the puzzle plot of the bizarre Memento.

Again, as happens all too often these days, the trailers may be a bit too revealing.

(3-Apr-07)

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