Review of: Premonition

Sometimes I'm really glad that I have HBO, Showtime and Cinemax On Demand. Those channels are perfect for those times at night when there is absolutely nothing on TV and you can just find some random movie that you would never watch at any other time.

Premonition was just that movie. It stars Sandra Bullock and (I'll call him) the guy from Nip/Tuck. Honestly it looks like he had too much Nip/Tuck on his own face. The basic setup of the movie is almost out of the Memento realm in that we find out at the beginning that NT (nip/tuck) guy has died. The movie then does this crazy back and forth jumping from day to day to show you how, when or why his death could've been prevented.

A lot of critics at the time panned the movie due to this time jumping aspect. However, aside from a few difficulties in figuring out what day it was when she woke up, I didn't mind it at all. I didn't think it was super super confusing and I was excited to see how the whole thing was going to be resolved.

Sandra Bullock asks a very simple question that basically carried the narrative for most of the film. "If I let Jim die, is that the same thing as killing him?". Throughout the movie, we as an audience will go through the same feelings as Bullock. Did NT deserve to die, should she have done more to save him? Ultimately, and I wont give it away, I personally think her choice could have gone either way. Its an interesting question and the director didn't try to hide any meaning in it and I think that helps us as viewers follow the plot that much better.

As for the actors, Bullock does a great job as the almost crazy housewife that is trying to piece her life together weird day after (or weird day before) weird day. Its funny looking at Bullock on screen sometimes because you are immediately transported back to that bus that can't fall under 50 every time you see her. Not saying its negative but for some reason its one of the strongest actor/character ties I personally have.

My main problem with the actors in the movie was Peter Stormare. When I first got put on to him through Prison Break on Fox, he was a breath of fresh air playing Abbruzzi, and then I even loved him as the Devil in Constantine. It just seems that lately, his now grating accent and mannerisms have reduced him to playing the same role in every movie and I've had enough for a little while. He always plays that half snarky, half "better than though" guy in every role he has. Most critics out there have this weird love affair with this guy and it seems that his presence in every movie is always a "scene-stealer". I honestly just don't get it. Either way its not that big of a deal because his role is very minimal in this and in all honesty probably would have been better on the cutting room floor. NT guy does a little-less-than-OK in his role. I know you were supposed to be kept in suspense about him for the most part, but I think he could've emoted a little bit more. I mean, the first shot of him is as a loving husband just buying a new house for him and his family and then all of a sudden we're supposed to believe that his feelings have done a possible 180. I'm not sure it worked or maybe you just needed another actor.

All in all I'd recommend this one just on the basis of a cool plot and good acting by Bullock.

Premonition verdict - Guilty