Our third Cage Match has us exploring a forgotten relic of the past, featuring a future-glimpsing Cage trying to save the world in “Next”.
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IN THIS CORNER: KELLY MINTZER
The Lowdown
Sometimes I forget that Nicolas Cage has been making movies since before I was born. There has never been a time in my life when there wasn’t a Nic Cage movie available to watch. This is a man with a vast filmography spanning decades, genres, and certainly quality. There are the expected swings and misses, but there’s also a hell of a lot that falls into a weird, nebulous gray area. This is sort of a long walk to say that I had absolutely forgotten that this week’s Cage Match selection even existed.
It was neither triumph nor flop, but a strange early 2000s action flick, the likes of which we don’t really see made anymore. And to this delightfully stupid curio of a movie, I must say, in the great words of Ariana Grande, “Thank you, Next.”
I watched this movie with my partner, who assured me it would be dumb fun. And you know what? Yeah, I’ll grant that. It was pretty fun! And it was incredibly dumb!
What’s the concept here? Who cares! None of it makes much sense. Nic Cage is a magician with the improbably glorious stage name of “Frank Cadillac” — a fact which made me laugh every time I was reminded of it. He’s pursued by Julianne Moore, an NSA agent who wants to use his EXTREMELY limited powers of precognition to stop a Russian terror plot. Does this all sound like nonsense? Good, because it is.
And I haven’t even mentioned the ludicrous romance between Nic Cage and Jessica Biel; I believe it’s intended to seem sweet and/or romantic, but in fact, skews pretty damn creepy and makes me want to shake Biel’s character and implore her to reconsider all of her life choices.
So no, NEXT is not good. But it’s quick-paced goofiness that doesn’t get too self-serious.
This is a relatively restrained Cage with a wig* that defies any degree of logic. When I pointed it out to my partner, they were dubious that it was a wig and wondered why, if you had the freedom a piece affords you to give Nic Cage a hairline, you’d land on that one. A fair question by any estimation.
*I should acknowledge in advance that Nic Cage wig-watch may become a regular feature for me. I am fascinated by the choices made in that respect for a man whose hairline abandoned him to his own devices relatively early on.
The Cage Factor:
I’m giving this one a Cautious Cage. I wouldn’t have minded if he’d gone bigger, but on the whole, the entire movie is Nicolas Cage-ing (except Julianne Moore, who can do no wrong and refuses to phone it in, even for this buffoonery). He’s fun to watch, but it feels like a paycheck movie-something you might do to, say, pay for the haunted house you bought in New Orleans, maybe while snorting 7 to 10 piles of cocaine. Just hypothetically. But honestly? If you have a free 2 hours and you want to turn off your brain, yeah, watch Next. I’m not mad I did. I may even watch it again someday. I can’t say for certain, because I—unlike Frank Cadillac—cannot see 2 minutes into the future.
AND IN THIS CORNER: STEPHANIE MALONE
The Lowdown
Loosely based on a Philip K. Dick short story, Next follows Cris Johnson (Cage), a man with the ability to see two minutes into his own future. This premise is an intriguing one, setting the stage for a potentially compelling exploration of fate, free will, and the consequences of knowing what’s to come. But, while Next may have heady Nolan-level ambitions, it’s far more “Michael Bay on a budget” in its campy execution.
The film’s greatest strength lies in its inventive action sequences, which cleverly utilize Cris’s precognitive abilities. Director Lee Tamahori crafts several engaging set pieces that play with the concept of multiple futures. However, as with most Cage vehicles, the heart and soul of the film lie in his performance. He brings a surprising subtlety to the role, eschewing his more manic tendencies in favor of a nuanced portrayal of a man burdened by his gift. Of course, when the script calls for it, Cage ramps up the intensity, delivering the kind of energetic performance his fans have come to expect.
Let’s be clear: Next barely works—and only as a mindless popcorn movie that amplifies the ridiculousness and doubles down on dumb thrills.
The plot is a mess, full of logical inconsistencies, odd choices, and underdeveloped supporting characters. Despite that, it keeps audiences invested. That’s due in no small part to Cage’s unique blend of everyman charm and eccentric intensity. Without Cage, the film would have certainly fallen into generic action-thriller territory, lacking the spark of unpredictability that he brings to the role.
Is it a masterpiece? Goodness, no. But it’s fun and fast-paced, and it offers enough entertainment value to justify its existence. Nicolas Cage’s committed performance, coupled with a cool idea and creative action sequences, elevates it above mere mediocrity.
The Cage Factor:
Somewhere between the peak Cage marketability of the mid-to-late 90s where we began our journey (Con Air) and the career renaissance of recent years that began in earnest with 2018’s Mandy (discussed last week), there’s the downward spiral of the early 2000s that damaged Cage’s credibility as a serious actor but cemented his status as the most memeable celebrity of all time. That’s where we find 2007’s sci-fi thriller Next.
It’s not Cage at his best, hunkiest (whoever is responsible for that hair deserves jail time), or even Cageist. In fact, his performance seems downright prosaic following the infamously bonkers “not the bees” insanity of 2006’s The Wicker Man, released one year prior.
In the pantheon of Cage’s action-thriller and sci-fi roles, NEXT sits comfortably in the middle tier.
It lacks the gonzo energy of Face/Off or the emotional depth of Adaptation, but it surpasses some of his more forgettable outings in the genre. The film benefits from Cage’s ability to sell even the most outlandish concepts with conviction, a skill that proves crucial in grounding the film’s fantastical elements.
Ultimately, did I enjoy watching a movie where Cage’s undeniably captivating presence looms larger over virtually every frame of the film? Hell yes, I did. And did I somehow manage to believe that a certifiable hottie like young Jessica Biel at her most sizzling would immediately go googly-eyed for this middle-aged, considerably odd, two-bit magician with unspeakably bad hair? You betcha!
That, my friends, is the magic of Nicolas Cage. Whatever he’s selling, I’m buying it, hook, line, and sinker.
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