SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND - NICOLAS CAGE?

By Graham Young on April 26, 2008 7:46 AM | Permalink

THIS weekend's explosive new film on satellite TV stars Nicolas Cage in NEXT (Saturday / Sunday, Sky Movies Premiere, 8pm).

Here's a real A-lister who probably hasn't quite fulfilled his own talent.

I still think he's capable of more, but give him time - he's only 44!

Since winning the best actor Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas in 1996, Nic's only sniff of Academy recognition has been for Adaptation in 2003 when he lost out to Adrien Brody (The Pianist).

Still, it's also been good to see such a big name being prepared to try to satisfy the popcorn market so soon and so often after an Oscar win.

But his best efforts in this direction - The Rock, Con Air (my favourite) and Face/Off - were all made a decade ago.

Disappointments since have been Gone in 60 Seconds, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Windtalkers and Matchstick Men.

National Treasure I & II were big hits but they're a bit silly for my taste.

Ghost Rider was ultra-lightweight and The Wicker Man was surely one of the most ill-advised remakes in history.

Today, Cage is as busy as ever though, with future movies including playing a hitman in this autumn's Bangkok Dangerous.

He'll also be starring in Disney's 2009 Jerry Bruckheimer blockbuster G-Force and playing a teacher in Knowing, a film about some accurate predictions that have been found in a time capsule buried at a school.

Carry on reading for my original verdict of Next, from just a year ago then decide whether to sit down for the big premiere.

If you miss it tonight (Saturday), it's back on Sky tomorrow at the same time.

Then let me know. Was I right... or was I wrong?

NEXT (12)
Verdict: +++
ALTHOUGH fashion chain Next can inspire customers to queue for its threads at 5am, will this Nicolas Cage / Julianne Moore combo have a similar hold over cinemagoers?
The two leads sport six Oscar nominations between them and their new movie is promisingly taglined: 'If you can see the future you can save it'.
But Next the movie illustrates how crucial a top script is to an actor's success.
Cage plays Las Vegas magician Cris Johnson whose ability to see two minutes into the future leads FBI agent Callie Ferris (Moore) to seek his help finding a nuclear bomb in LA.
Despite scripting Arnie's Total Recall - which Hollywood had struggled to adapt for years - and producing Steven Spielberg's Minority Report, co-writer Gary Goldman has over-egged this version of The Golden Man, yet another story by the extraordinary visionary Philip K Dick (1928 - 82).
The early way Cage calmly escapes his pursuers in a casino is a fabulous reinvention of the time-honoured chase sequence.
Panoramic shots of the Grand Canyon and a hillside stunt also impress thanks to New Zealand director Lee Tamahori's experience with blockbuster hits like XXX and 007's Die Another Day.
But, with memories of Denzel Washington's silly time-twisting release Deja Vu still so fresh, both Moore and Cage become increasingly incapacitated by our mounting incredulity beyond a tepid mid-section involving love interest Jessica Biel (The Illusionist).
Website: www.nextmovie.com