Pen to Paper

I’m sure you’ve seen some of the ads for Jumper. The premise is pretty exciting – there is a group of people that can teleport anywhere in the world, instantly, and there is a second group of people that wants to kill all of the teleporters. I know quite a few people were skeptical when they saw that Hayden Christensen played the main character. I’m afraid that the Star Wars prequels made many people think poorly of Christensen. It’s my opinion, though, that a weak script marred his performance as Anakin, and I’m afraid that a poor script is the problem with Jumper as well.

The acting and characters in Jumper are satisfying for an action movie. Samuel L. Jackson plays a religious zealot (a “paladin”) who believes that the teleporters (or jumpers) are an abomination that need to be eliminated. Jamie Bell is a jumper who has been waging a private war against the paladins for most of his life. Both actors deliver intense performances in what are rather shallow roles. Christensen’s role is only slightly more complex. As a jumper, he ran away from home when he was 15. Since then, he’s been living a life of instant gratification. The effect of this is interesting – though now in his mid-20s, the character never grew up. He still sees the world through the eyes of a 15 year old. Christensen’s jumper is likable and believable; unfortunately, the script doesn’t give him a lot to work with.

The script is where Jumper falls down. Some action movies make the audience care about the characters and the consequences of what happens on screen. Others don’t make viewers care, but at least help the audience feel involved. In Jumper, the script does neither. Large sections of plot seem out of order, and because many of the characters are one dimensional the action sequences don’t seem to have significant consequences – at least, none worth caring about.

In the end, seeing Jumper was an enjoyable experience. Fast paced action sequences that take full advantage of the jumpers’ abilities are a thrill to watch. Unfortunately, because of the weak script this is an entirely forgettable movie.

I’ve recently had a couple friends give me books to read. I thought I’d pass on the favor.

The Shack

The first was The Shack by William P. Young. Young gives us the story of a man who has an incredible encounter. Mack, a man stricken with grief for several years, receives a note inviting him back to the scene of his deepest personal tragedy. He goes, and finds the note is from God him(her)self. The next few days are full of both personal and theological discovery for Mack.

I found The Shack to be a powerful and challenging read. I don’t think that Young presents a complete picture of God, but I don’t think he gives an incorrect picture either. This is, instead, a snapshot. The God character points out several times that Mack’s perspective needs to be corrected; that is the point of the weekend and the book. Just as no one can fully understand God, no book can capture him. I’m alright with that – anything that is understood loses some of its power (think of the shark in Jaws – much scarier before you see it). It helps to remember this while reading The Shack. Several times I found myself starting to disagree with Young, only to realize that my picture of God needed to be expanded as well.

Science Fiction

The second book I was recently recommended is Science Fiction, a 1973 anthology edited by Sylvia Z. Brodkin and Elizabeth J. Pearson. When my friend Jon handed it to me, he said, “I found this book at a library book sale when I was in middle school. It’s the book that made me realize how great science fiction could be.” He added, “This is basically my science fiction bible.”

Science Fiction contains short stories, poems, and a variety of artwork. I’m about three-quarters through the book, and so far it’s pretty amazing. Many of the stories fall into the classic sci-fi-tragedy category. That is to say, the message is “All these scientific accomplishments, at the cost of our humanity.”

Contributors to the anthology include Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke, among many others. If you can find it, I highly recommend checking this out.