NEXT — ** 1/2 — Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel; rated PG-13 (violence, profanity);.
You can just hear producer/star Nicolas Cage in the preproduction meetings for "Next" repeating this mantra: "Remember, fellas, in this one I'm a lover and a fighter."
The action flick, about an ESP-endowed magician (that would be our Nic) capable of stopping a nuclear bomb from roasting L.A., seems an odd vehicle for onscreen goo-goo eyes. But there you have it. Cage's five-star mooning over an imperiled schoolteacher, played by Jessica Biel, is about the only real effort the actor throws into this job.
His Cris Johnson — a low-rent Las Vegas illusionist able to see two minutes into his own future — doesn't give a toss about the fate of 8 million people that the bomb could take out. And while we as viewers recognize the coolness potential of having even limited ESP, Johnson takes little joy in his abilities. Indeed, they practically bore him.
Which is kind of a pity because large stretches of "Next," directed with plenty of chase and mayhem by Lee Tamahori, echo another movie adapted from a story by sci-fi legend Philip K. Dick. That would be Steven Spielberg's superior "Minority Report." Interestingly, Gary Goldman, the screenwriter for "Next," was an executive producer on "Report."
When the action in "Next" does slow down, the bulldoggish FBI agent played by Julianne Moore explains to Johnson that he has a responsibility to use his gifts for the greater good. Johnson, anticipating a life under microscopes once the terrorist threat is over, is dubious.
Plus, he's smitten. Having discovered that with Liz Cooper (Biel) he can actually see more than two minutes, Johnson decides that she must be his destiny. On a ride between Vegas and Flagstaff, they talk conceptually about the future and all its possibilities. "Life is supposed to be a surprise, isn't it?" says Liz. "That would be nice," returns Johnson.
We get the attraction. Biel has serious come-hither eyes and lips that look like you could stuff pillows with them. Cage saves all his dramatic mojo for the Cris/Liz interludes. Otherwise, "Next" is a series of artfully choreographed linked pursuits with Moore convincing as the hard-nosed leader of the pursuit team.
Oh, and there's a red herring as well. You probably won't need two minutes of ESP to see it coming.
"Next" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action and some language. Running time: 96 minutes.