Predestination (2014)

Elevator Pitch: Members of a Temporal Government Agency use the locks of a violin case to dial in times, dates and years of their intended destinations. A man carrying such a violin case enters a building and we see him descend to the basement where he attempts to dismantle a bomb, but is burnt in the attempt. He makes back, and is given a new face. Later he is bartender in a dive, positioned to engage in dialogue with a young man, who tells his story. This young man, a True Stories author, was originally a girl, brought up in an orphanage, impregnated under mysterious circumstances, and found to have two sets of genitalia, after giving birth is surgically changed to be a male.

Content: Very, very little nudity and sex. A lot of drinking and smoking, much of the film takes place in the 1970s. There is the scene where the man catches fire. Thereafter a lot of time spent in the bar, with flashbacks to the young man’s time as a girl, including an attempt to enrol in the “Spacecorps”, a system intended to provide partners for astronauts and more. The character who was burnt now with dark hair and a moustache goes back and forth through time, and we gradually find out what is going on.

A View: I had no idea what this was about, although the title might have given me a hint. It was well thought of by the critics, who were mainly in Australia, the origins of the film. You may note if you have read any of the reviews that very little is said about the plot except that it is about time travel. I dare go as far as to say that it breaks a well known time travel rule, that you should not meet yourself, but the result is entertaining. If like a very unusual view of time travel, give it a go.

Additional info: The Spierig brothers are Australian film makers who come from Brisbane. Previous outing “Daybreakers”.