Looper’s Cinematic Universe Has More Stories To Tell

Looper movie
Looper movie

I loathe time travel.

It’s a genre of science fiction that I find spends an inordinate amount of screen time ramming exposition down the viewer’s throat in an attempt to make them understand how time travel actually works. Understanding the mechanics has never been the part of science fiction that appeals to me. Rather, it is the setting and events that unfold within the context of a futuristic or alternative universe with which I am unfamiliar, that draws me in.

And as with any definitive statements, praise or criticism, there are exceptions, and time travel is no different. Films such as Back To The Future, The Terminator, Planet of the Apes, 12 Monkeys –all having time travel as the foundation of their stories– are immensely enjoyable and timeless. Their respective directors never allow the “how” of time travel to overshadow the overall experience. This is what separates them from countless films that fail to do so.

2012’s Looper, directed by Rian Johnson, exemplifies this with its original take on time travel and shows how criminal organizations of the future utilize time travel for nefarious means. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Joe, a Looper, or hitman in the present of 2044 who eliminates targets sent to him from his crime bosses in the future. The phrase Looper is derived from the dilemma of being one. They are paid handsomely for completing hits, but eventually, they will have their future self sent back to them to eliminate, thus closing their loop.

But when Joe’s future self, played by Bruce Willis, is sent back to him and Young Joe botches the hit, he spends the film hunting his future self to set things right. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but I found the tone of the film and blatant disinterest in explaining the concept of time travel to be refreshing.

Early on, the film addresses this in a scene where Young Joe (Levitt) and Old Joe (Willis) meet in a diner. Old Joe becomes annoyed by Young Joe’s repeated questions regarding time travel and chastises him for it. The purpose of this scene essentially tells the audience to not focus on the “how” of time travel and to just accept it as fact. Time travel simply exists as an option, and as a great deal of time isn’t spent dissecting its inner workings it allows Johnson to focus on building a unique world.

I think I’m fascinated by the world of Looper because of how little of it is fully explained. The brief glimpses we were shown is a world not so far removed from our own. A world in which people have telekinetic powers (ok, this one is pretty far removed), crime is rampant due to poverty and environmental decay, and analyzing the Looper lifestyle and culture, are all elements of the film that I would want to explore further.

The government has outlawed time travel but do they still utilize it themselves in some way? How does society view Loopers? Are telekinetics discriminated against? Do all crime organizations utilize time travel? These were all questions I had while walking out of the theater and have periodically mulled over, not wanting to leave that world behind just yet. There were more stories to be told and hopefully someday we’ll get them.

Making a second film would undoubtedly result in a similar product, one that could be enjoyable, but might fail to scrutinize particularly unique aspects of the film in great depth. Looper was an excellent introduction to a world that has many, many more stories to be told. Despite wanting to further investigate Looper’s world, I am not advocating for a movie sequel.

A follow up to Looper would best be presented in the form of a mini-series. Preferably developed for a nonrestrictive network or platform that has historically given TV adaptations a proper budget and production cycle, such as HBO or Starz. Most importantly, any studio other than FOX. Yet, equally as important would be a platform that could ensure that a Looper mini-series would secure an (MA) Mature Audience rating. The world of Looper has a grunginess to it that I would like to see carry over into stories told within its world.

It’s a long shot. I know, and I don’t expect many others to have the same fondness for Looper as I do. Even if you were not as enthralled with the film as I, you would be hard-pressed to make a case for not revisiting its world with new characters. A new cast and story is just what a potential continuation of Looper would need, and, truthfully, the only way it could succeed. Joe’s story is over, and that’s okay. What is not over is the potential for additional tales to be told in the world of Looper – which is as infinite as time and space.

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