Predestination

An entertaining Australian sci-fi movie that had a very cool concept and story, but perhaps got a bit too lost in its own perceived smarts that if you just tug a bit at the logic thread, the whole tapestry will unravel.

For fans of the sci-fi and time-travelling genres, the - inevitable - twist could be guessed within the opening minutes of the movie, and writers/directors The Spierig Brothers had padded the whole 97 minutes with enough clues and hints that even Elle Woods would have solved it.

In addition, if The Spierig Brothers had focused less on the crime noir sub-genre and made a film exploring the psychology behind the concept, this movie might have been even better, Although, realistically, a more intelligent movie would also mean less box office receipts.

Ethan Hawke was competent in the role, but to be honest, other than when he was working with Richard Linklater, Hawke's characters tend to blend in with each other.

The real stand out here was Aussie actress Sarah Snook. She was an interesting mix of old school Jodie Foster bundled with the effervescent charm of new kid Emma Stone. Her scenes and delivery in the first two acts easily eclipsed that of Hawke's. If Snook was given material that elevated the movie out of the depth of pop-intelligentsia, I am quite confident that she can meet the challenge.

This was definitely an entertaining movie that will appeal to the masses, but the concept could have been toyed with so much better. Perhaps, a new lease of life in the future as a series or mini-series.