Looper

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Looper is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on Philo and Starz Apple TV Channel right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Joseph Gordon-Levitt anchors it with a performance that grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Looper arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. What makes Looper work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. In the year 2044, time travel has not yet been invented but in 30 years it will have been. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target into the past where a looper, a hired gun, like Joe is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good until the day the mob decides to close the loop, sending back Joe's future self for assassination. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. Looper came out in 2012. The rules of Looper's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find Looper genuinely rewarding. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Joseph Gordon-Levitt grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.