Rated Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some language and brief sexuality.

Directed by Doug Liman

Written by David S. Goyer, Jim Uhls, and Simon Kinberg

Starring Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Thierot, Diane Lane, Michael Rooker, and Annasophia Robb

The film Jumper has an interesting storyline, but it’s not for everyone. If you are into sci-fi films with a lot of action that sometimes goes at light speed, then this one should grab your attention. Although I think the film has merit, it does get somewhat confusing at times.

In the world of this Science Fiction Adventure there are Jumpers. The Jumpers possess the ability to teleport themselves from place to place, through solid matter and anywhere in the world. One such Jumper is David Rice (Christensen), who accidentally learns of his power when a bully High School student causes him to nearly drown. It doesn’t take long for David to get the hang of his special capability and finds many uses beyond world travel, like robbing banks. He knows he is extra special, so he abandons his old life. After several years of having ‘the good life’ David decides to visit an old high school girlfriend Millie (Bilson). Asking her out on a date, he takes her to Rome where she starts questioning some of David’s strange ways. When he runs into Griffin (Bell), a rogue Jumper, David realizes that he’s not the only one with teleporting skills. But, even worse, he finds out there is a secret organization of Paladins lead by Roland (Jackson) that are trying to destroy his existence.

The upsides of the film are the special effects and cinematography. I’m a sucker sometimes for seeing the impossible become a reality and in Jumper there’s a lot of opportunity for that. The teleporting seems very real and the scenes of far away places around the globe are sometimes breathtaking.

On the downside, I thought the persons who had the teleporting power were excessively self-serving. I had no one to root for in the film since the ‘hero’ was never doing anything for the greater good. To me it was like watching one of those World Wrestling Federation cage battles where you don’t care who wins. At least with X-Men you had heroes and villains; with Jumper you never know if the Jumpers or the Paladins are the bad guys.

Another downside could have been avoided, but the film needed a big name to carry a large opening box-office. Christensen just doesn’t do it for me. He just doesn’t have the on screen presence or the intensity that other actor choices could have brought to the role. I would have rather watched the acting of his younger counterpart Thierot throughout the film instead changing the actor after only a seven year passing. A little make-up would have gone a long way in my book.

The film does contain some intense action violence and brief sexuality so youngsters be warned.

FINAL ANLYSIS: Jumper is an interesting action movie that bestows most of its entertainment value on sci-fi junkies.