'90s Trash?: Freejack (1992)

 As people finally get to enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 for all its qualities and faults, see how people couldn't *quite* emulate the aesthetic in 1992.  This is Freejack, which is based loosely on a 1959 Book.  In it, people take people from the past right before their deaths and use their bodies to become essentially 'immortal.'  Released in and taking place in 1992, the Film gives us the dark, dystopian future of...2009.  Yeah, maybe aim higher.  To be fair, they kind of forced themselves to pick a relatively-short jump, but I'll get into that later.  The Film is anchored by Emilio Estevez and...that sure dates the Film.  I mean no disrespect to the guy (who seems nice and talented enough), but the phrase 'Starring Emilio Estevez' immediately gives away the Film's release Decade.  I suppose 'Starring Mick Jagger' might as well.  Hell, the idea that the 'Feeling Hot Hot Hot' Guy is a Supporting Player really tells you that this is a '90s Film.  The Film comes to us from arguably the King of Making Sequels to Films He Didn't Make the Original Of- Geoff Murphy.  He's the man that brought us Young Guns II, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory and Fortress 2.  On the Writing/Producing front, we have a name that isn't that recognizable, but is actually notable.  Ronald Shusett was a Co-Writer on Alien, as well as King Kong Lives, Dead & Buried, Total Recall, Above the Law & Alien vs. Predator.  Good Resume.  This is one of those Films where nobody involved seems to like it.  Actors crap on it, the Studio isn't happy and the Director blames the Production Company.  Oh boy.  To find out if they all have a point, read on...

In 1992, Emilio is a Racecar Driver with a happy girlfriend- Rene Russo- and a good life.

In 2009, Mick Jagger is a 'Bonejacker' (people who steal people from the past) who needs a new body for his Boss.

Using old-future tech, they take Estevez right before his car crashes.  He is set to be lobotomized, but escapes.

Since he's on the loose, he's now a Freejack.

  
Somehow everyone knows what this is, but we also NEVER see anyone that had this same operation go right.  Why isn't a henchman like this, for instance?

Jagger is now sent to capture Estevez, setting the Plot fully in motion.

Oh and his Boss here is Jonathan Banks, now much more famous for being 'Mike Ehrmantraut on Breaking Bad.
It makes me think that I should cover another Sci-Fi Film from around this time with a future BB Star on it...

He meets up with Russo (who I guess is supposed to be 17 years older with bigger hair) and things don't exactly go well.

While he's been gone, she's become a big Businesswoman.  Her Boss- Anthony Hopkins- only talks to her via video calls.

So, seriously, if you haven't figured out where this is going, I can't help you!

The Film is about 70% Action Scenes in the middle, so I can skip ahead.  They're good, but don't add much story.

The finale is where things get complicated, so try to stick with me...

They pretend to be hostile to get to Banks, who says he knows they aren't and will let them go.  He wants Hopkins to die and he'll gain the company.

He tries to betray them, of course, and they see through it.

They find a digital world upstairs (naturally) where Hopkins' mind resides.  He confesses his love for Russo and says that's why they picked Estevez.  He offers to die and let him pretend to be Hopkins.

He, of course, tries to betray them.  The switch almost happens for real but then Russo shoots the machine.

Estevez bluffs that it worked and Banks is killed.  Minutes later, he asks to as 'Hopkins' to drive Russo somewhere else...

...but that gives him away to Jagger, who...doesn't care and let them.  Now are you over, Movie?  Damn!

A fairly-dumb, but fun Movie that definitely thinks that it is more than it really is.  The complaint leveled against the Film by Estevez is that Murphy focused too much on action.  I haven't seen the cut that alleged bombed at Test Screenings, but I can imagine.  Given what we get, there is ALOT of fairly-mindless Action Scenes that are fun...but don't progress the Story or build up the Characters.  It shows off plenty of skill in shooting them though.  The Plot itself has alot of promise.  The idea of a Freejack is interesting.  The idea of being deposited in the Future is interesting.  The idea of fighting for the right to control your own body is oddly-topical in a weird sort of way.  The problem is just not following through with enough.  As I said, a Freejack is a common enough thing to have a nickname.  Why don't we hear about more of them?  For instance, have Estevez be helped by some and maybe meet a hiding place where they are.  To expand on the Theme, have Banks be someone who stole his body ages ago.  That is an extra motivator for him to be after Estevez- it reminds him of what he could have lost.  Instead, they have him go 'Get him!' alot and be kicked in the dick by a Nun.  No, really.  Hopkins is there to do all sorts of stuff at the end, which is a shame.  His presence is sorely-needed in the rest of the Film to give it some gravitas.  Jagger was apparently-approached very last minute and signed on, even getting a part for his then-wife Jerry Hall.  He's said that if he'd actually read the Script- they just described the Plot- and thought about it, he'd have said 'No.'  For what it is worth, he adds some fun character here.  If his part was a bit smaller and less important in the finale, I'd be 100% on board.  So is Freejack 'terrible' like Hopkins said?  No.  It is a bit of wasted potential that, to be honest, wouldn't offend me to see remade with some TLC.  Given that it is set in the past-future from 1992, it's kind of funny how the Mind Transfer Device makes me think of that famous Crossfire Commercial from the actual future (1993)…

Next up, I go from Sci-Fi to Fantasy...kind of.  It is a Rock & Roll Fantasy from the 1980s!  Stay tuned...