Freejack

Freejack (1992)

Image From IMDB

Emilio Estevez was one of my favourite actors growing up, and alongside the massively underrated Judgement Night, I think Freejack was probably my favourite film of his. There was just something about this movie. In all honesty, there probably isn’t anything particularly special about it outside of Jagger awkwardly delivering some of the greatest lines ever given to a rockstar in a movie, but I couldn’t get enough of it. Emilio as a racing car driver hunted by bounty hunters in the future because someone’s trying to steal his body… yeah, that works for me.

Freejack follows the story of Alex (Estevez) who is transported from his race car the instant he was meant to die into a future where a billionaire intends to live in his body as his own is dying. When Alex arrives he manages to escape, and the hunt is on to recapture him before the billionaires mind dies for good and he won’t be able to steal Alex’s body.

Honestly… if the science was possible in this day and age, this would be a documentary, and that’s one of the things I love about it. It’s wacky and silly, and there’s plot holes all over the time travelled path, but this would totally happen. I have no doubts about it. We’d absolutely steal bodies from the past if it meant we could live longer.

Outside of the concept being batshit crazy and awesome I love Emilio’s performance. He looks so charming and innocence, yet, you always buy him being a bit edgy and badass too. He just has that look in his eyes like he could kill you if he wanted too. Rene Russo is decent as his girlfriend Julie, and her arc is potentially interesting, but maybe a little underutilised. Anthony Hopkins isn’t in much of the movie, and Johnathan Banks tries to steal the film as one of Julies bosses… and he’s awesome. Some people can do smarmy really well, and he’s one of them. Reminds me of John C. McGinley in Highlander 2.

Then there’s Mick Jagger as the bounty hunter Victor. I think the character is a lot of fun, has some of the best lines in the movie, and has an arc as interesting as Alex’s, but damn Mick can look awkward on screen. Although, I personally think that makes the movie even better. It’s one of those things you remember about the film. The whole, wasn’t that the one with Mick Jagger awkwardly playing a futuristic bounty hunter.

Oh… and Amanda Plumber as the shotgun wielding Nun should have had her own movie. She’s great, and I love her in Freejack, but she was in an entirely different film and I want more of it,

Time Travel has never been my thing despite liking quite a few time travel movies, and thankfully this is one that doesn’t bother to explain much. For a time travel film it’s actually very simple in that regard because there’s little exposition about the means, and more just the stories why. That helps it.

I know i’m biased on this one, but I really do like Freejack. There’s nostalgia there, and one of my favourite actors growing up, and it’s a cool sci-fi story, but i’ve always thought this film has a little something else about it too. I can see why some people might think it’s a boring nothing movie, but I’m glad i’m not one of them.