Screened Out – Predestination

[four-star-rating]Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor[/four-star-rating]

Every so often, we get a brainteaser of a film that confuses and intrigues us – one of those difficult movies to suggest to general audiences. Some will complain that the labyrinthine twists gave them headaches. Others might be captivated by the bendy logic, craving the deep discussions afterwards. Predestination – like Memento and 2001 – is certainly tantalizing

That’s not to say it’s a perfect film, or even as good as Memento or 2001. Predestination is more cerebral than emotional. The tangential nature of the storyline would anger some. “When do they get back to the point?” “What is the point, exactly?”

Well, the point is there, buried in the title. Hawke is a Temporal Agent, a man who uses time travel to try and stop a mass bomber. Can he catch and kill the madman who levels several New York City blocks, or is history already predetermined – with thousands dying?

To save lives, Hawke must travel to 1970 and make contact with an enigmatic character (Snook), a True Confessions writer with an incredible past. Snook started life as a female. After being involved in a secret government project, Snook finds out that he is an intersexual. (We used to call these “hermaphrodites”; that’s been corrected. I refer to the character as “he” because that’s who we see mostly throughout the film.)

If you’re not confused by now, then maybe this movie is for you.

Hawke has played roles like this bounty hunter before, and he’s always serviceable. He seems occasionally drawn to the odd film project– this, Gattaca, and the excellent if also trying Boyhood.

Hawke’s character seems genuinely interested when Snook sits down in a seedy bar and starts to spin a personal history of gender confusion, secret agencies, and sexual self-discovery. Who wouldn’t be? It’s strange and beguiling stuff – the sort of material too racy for even True Confessions.

Snook is amazing as the intersex being going from female to androgynous but alluring male. (She reminded me of a young Edward Furlong.) Her discomfort in the male skin is actually brilliant acting. This is the type of role that should get the actress some serious notice.

However, there is a chance that Predestination will only be a cult classic. It feels more like an art-house film, with the small insular cast and long scenes of narrative. The art direction is solid, but the film takes its time unwinding. Snook recounting the past takes up a good third of the 137 minutes – until we see how this is related, this can seem like a long digression from the cool sci-fi stuff.

Predestination is also one of those films people like to discuss with me. Some with shake their heads and say, “How could you ever give that baffling film four stars?” Others will gush and wonder why I didn’t give it five. I did like this flick a lot, but I suspect there might have been a tighter way to unspool Snook’s past, one that doesn’t frustrate the audience. Perhaps, also, it could’ve hit a few more emotional notes. Other than that, what we have here is a captivating film.