Predestination

Here even the word “paradox” falls short… In other time-travel films, time paradoxes are obstacles that the filmmakers try to overcome to no avail, and which fully manifest once the viewer begins to question the logic of the story, but in Predestination, the paradox is the alpha and the omega of the story. The creators carefully build it, almost trying to make it as paradoxical as possible. (25/11/2014)

I couldn't get the taste for it. I like time travel movies, but so far none of them have been able to fully satisfy me. Predestination has an original and unorthodox premise, but unfortunately I didn't find it very appealing or entertaining. In fact, there was hardly any action at all, the suspense was also lacking, the twists and turns were too few for a thriller, and somehow it didn't click as it should have. 55% (03/12/2014)

This movie is absolutely wild—in the best way possible. It's the kind of story you'd never see made or funded in America, but thankfully, Australia has a soft spot for the Spierig brothers. This is their third film, and they're definitely on an upward trajectory quality-wise. Predestination follows in the spirit of their last movie, Daybreakers, but it cranks things up with an incredible atmosphere, a standout performance from Ethan Hawke, and an ultimate array of mind-bending time loops. It quickly becomes one of the most insanely intricate time-travel sci-fi films, weaving past and future together to create something that—spoiler alert—Red Dwarf fans would recognize as an "Ouroboros." So yeah, it's definitely not bad. (31/12/2014)

A film that will make your head spin with its temporal paradoxes and atypical sequence of scenes. But I’m not sure how much of this was the intention of the people behind the film and how much was purely failed experimentation. But the beginning has everything, gripping immersion, the camera raids, the dark filters – an atmosphere like in Watchmen. The middle is better thanks to Sarah Snook, who steals all for herself. But the revealing ending is chaotic already. After it's over, it leaves some uncomfortable question marks here and there, and that's not good. (09/06/2016)

The timing remains on a minimalist plane for an incredibly long time. It plays on dialogues, the power of the gaze, and Sarah Snook's fascinating performance. And given how Ethan Hawke revels in conversations, the rest of the running time logically begins to flag despite its unrelenting tension. Which doesn't matter as much as it might seem – of course, only if the viewer is able to engage in the game the screenplay presents. Many betrayals can be sensed from the opening scene, but the barrage of twists that Michael and Peter Spierig start throwing in towards the end truly takes your breath away. Perhaps the next viewing will reveal if this predestined violin case is really an all-encompassing appetizer that pleasantly unsettles with its blend of unconventional romance, uncompromising sci-fi, and unusual editing – or if it gets tangled up in the constantly escalating series of plot twists. (06/01/2015)