All Rise...

Judge Erich Asperschlager misses you dreadfully.

The Charge

"I'll bet you the rest of this bottle I've got the best story you've ever heard."

Opening Statement

W.C Fields warned against working with children and animals, but if he had ever done sci-fi he would have added time travel to that list. Some time travel movies get around the logistical headaches by playing it for laughs. The more serious the project, though, the harder it is to apply strict rules. The biggest hurdle for time travel stories to overcome are the unpredictable changes caused by the simple act of going back and disrupting the flow of time. How do you make an exciting film about time travel that stands up to basic scrutiny?

Facts of the Case

Australian sci-fi film Predestination is the story of a "temporal agent" (Ethan Hawke, Boyhood) who is sent back in time to track down and capture a terrorist known as the Fizzle Bomber—the key to which may lie in the life's story of a writer who pens confessionals under the moniker "the Unmarried Mother" (Sarah Snook, Jessabelle).

The Evidence

Predestination tackles the paradox problem by embracing it. Like the Robert Heinlein short story "All You Zombies" on which it was based, the film has a Mobius strip narrative that folds itself into a neat package. Writer-directors Michael and Peter Spierig tell a story that is both decade-spanning and intimate. For all the time periods, costumes, locations, and narrative gymnastics, it all comes down to a few main characters. Predestination builds a mind-bending piece of noir science fiction out of two people having a conversation in a bar.

The Spierigs' solution to the paradox problem, by way of Heinlein, is clever in ways I can't write about without spoiling the film. This fascinating time travel movie works because it mixes its bizarre rules with a poetic story. The pieces come together in the final moments, but the viewer is left with questions—not the annoying loose ends of many overcomplicated tales, but intellectual tidbits to mull over.

Predestination is fresh—a welcome change from the endless barrage of safe Hollywood sequels. I have complained about the glut of film adaptations, and while Predestination comes from literary source material it is among the rare adaptations driven by story instead of built-in audience appeal. While the Spierig brothers closely follow Heinlein's story, they aren't afraid to make changes to suit the structure of a feature film. The biggest changes from page to screen are the expanded roles of temporal admin Mr. Robinson (Noah Taylor) and "the fizzle bomber." Neither are as important as the dynamic between Hawke and Snook's characters, but they provide external motivation and give the audience an immediate way into a story that has more on its mind than time travel and terrorism.

The story is something special, but the film rises and falls on the performances of Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook. Hawke is predictably great, but Snook is the star. Where Hawke spends a good chunk of the running time sitting back and listening to her story, Snook is put through the ringer emotionally and physically. As her character transforms over the course of the film, the Australian actress—known primarily for TV work—meets the nearly impossible material at every turn.

Predestination is remarkable, but so is the fact it exists at all. The Spierig brothers hide the small budget behind judicious storytelling choices and deliberate set design. We are shown small slices that suggest a larger world. Money saved by the directors doing some of the special effects work themselves—drawing on skills learned on previous low-budget projects—goes to key makeup effects that sell the transformations at the heart of the story. The DIY approach isn't obvious, but the passion behind the production sure is.

Predestination's 2.40:1/1080p HD transfer further masks the film's low-budget roots. The digital source material delivers strong detail, with subtle shifts in color and tone to separate the various time periods. The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track is clear and well-balanced. The movie is mostly quiet, but the surround mix leaves plenty of elbow room for explosive audio effects and Peter Spierig's electronic score.

The relatively short list of extras on this Blu-ray hides a comprehensive making-of documentary that explores every bit of the film.

• Bloopers (1:38): A quick montage of flubbed lines and on-set acts of God.

• "A Journey Through Time" (4:34): This brief EPK overview of the film would be enough for most low-budget releases. Not this one, because next up is:

• "All You Zombies: Bringing Predestination to Life" (1:16:30): This 12-part Blu-ray exclusive feature length documentary digs deep into the production of the film, with behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with the directors, cast, and crew. It's hard to fill 76 minutes with choice making-of material, but this doc does it—giving enough information to help appreciate the work that went into the film without robbing the singular story of its magic.

Closing Statement

Predestination is a scrappy, self-assured film that makes complicated time travel storytelling look easy. It's the opposite of homogenized Hollywood dreck, made by Australian twin writer-directors who also do their own special effects, editing, and music. Ethan Hawke brings star power to this twisting tale, but it's Sarah Snook who runs away with the movie. The pair are at the beating heart of this surprisingly emotional mindfreak. Whatever you think of the way it all fits together, Predestination is more compelling than many bigger budget sci-fi flicks.

The Verdict

Not Guilty! Just like last time.

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