Premonition (2007)

Ending Failed the Film

The movie had great potential. The ending is what caused it to lose a five star rating. I felt that I had been robbed.

If you want to see a great movie that is not predictable, watch Dejavu. June 29, 2008

Could Have Been Much Better

German director Mennan Yapo's first English language feature Premonition is a rather mixed bag. Its not really a thriller, its not really a horror film and it comes off at times as a confused mess.

Sandra Bullock plays Linda Hanson a comfortable suburban woman who at first glance appears to have everything. She lives in a great house, has at first blush a loving husband Jim (Julian McMahon) and two young daughters. One day she gets a knock on the door from the sheriff's department telling her that Jim has been killed in an accident and her seemingly normal life begins to unravel. The next morning she wakes up to find her husband alive and well. Is this a premonition that she has had or is she losing her mind?

Bullock takes on the role quite well but the non linear storytelling gets in the way of the audiences' enjoyment of the film. Days and events happen at random and the end result is more headache inducing than thrilling. Also, there is a tacked on quasi religious theme that is really not necessary to the story. The interesting question is posed that if one know about future events does one have the power to change them? Sadly, this story line is not well developed.

I saw the regular definition widescreen disc. The transfer is quite good and the audio in 5.1 sound is clear and has no noticible problems. The score by Klaus Badelt is eerie and effective as is the cinematography by
Torsten Lippstock.

The disc comes with an array of extras including a commentary by Yapo and Bullock, deleted scenes with optional commentary, a gag real, a making of featurette, a completely unnecessary feature that tells the story in normal linear order and a double featurette on people who experience real life premonitions. A word on the commentary: it starts quite dry but picks up as the movie goes along.

This is not a bad package for a rental but it is far from one of the best movie of the year. With a lot of work it could have been so much better. June 26, 2008

INTERESTING, IF A BIT TOO TAME THRILLER!

This movie starts out promising and keeps your interest, but it never reaches a fever pitch we need in a good suspense thriller. Sandra Bullock does a fine job in this tepid little tale of faith and destiny that just had to have a somewhat positive ending. It's worth a look, but don't expect to be blown away. June 11, 2008

Every day we are alive can be a miracle

Shades of Groundhog Day or some more sophisticated what if time travel.

I was surprised at how tight the story is and every minute, every word, and every movement had a part in this story. They actors were well chosen as from the beginning to end you believe their characters are real and that you are taking part in the story.

House wife Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) finds out that her husband (Julian McMahon) has died. And wake up the next day to find him there. This is only the beginning. Soon she realized that it is probably a premonition. The story is also filled out with what could have been and what may have been. And what should have been. Sandra puts us all in a different Zeite.

Happy Accidents June 8, 2008

Two Stars-spoilers follow

A wonderfully exciting movie where a woman wakes up to find her husband alive, the next day she learns he died only to wake up the day after that with him alive. Sandra Bullock stars as the wife determinded to figure out what is going on. It was an very exciting, edge of your seat movie that I couldn't wait to find out how it ended....until I saw the ending. Then it sucked. He died? Jim died? After all that he still dies? All the effort to change what happened was for nothing? I felt like I just wasted my time. The only reason for the two stars is Sandra Bullock and we at least got to see Julian McMahon with his shirt off. April 26, 2008

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