Premonition film review

certificate_12A

PREMONITION

If Sandra Bullock had a premonition this was going to be this tedious, she might have thought twice about taking the job. Though given the premise's potential, her decision was understandable. There is a difference between slow and suspenseful and just slow. Premonition's slothful pace would be forgivable if an alluring destination loomed ahead, but there is never any sense of anticipation, which is explained by its flaccid ending.

Director Mennan Yapo fails to instill any tension into Bill Kelly's script. Repetitious and vague, the all-important timeline, so critical to the plot and building pressure, is too infrequently established. No wonder Linda Hansen (Bullock) is confused. When Hansen is notified of the death of her husband Jim (Julian McMahon) in a car crash, her world, and that of her two young daughters, is shattered. Even more disturbing is the fact that when she wakes the next day, Jim's alive and none of the events of the previous day have happened. Jim says she must have been dreaming, but when she awakes the next day and he's dead again, she realizes strange forces are at work.

Believing she's seen into the future, Linda's erratic behaviour alarms her mother (Kate Nelligan) and best friend (Nia Long). Uncertain what to do with the knowledge, she confides in an unsympathetic doctor (Peter Stormare), who prescribes her lithium, and a priest (Jude Ciccolella), who tells her history's full of unexplained phenomena - a neat way of saying nothing in Premonition need make sense. When Linda discovers her husband was about to cheat on her, she is then faced with the moral dilemma of whether or not to try and prevent his death.

Bullock is effective enough as the distraught and conflicted Linda, but the role provides her with little range in tone and emotions. She spends the bulk of her time in a self-absorbed and pained state, which becomes monotonous after a point. Her relationship with Jim is never one that inspires confidence or much concern. I mean, what kind of marriage is it where the husband buys a house without consulting his wife first?

In need of a more disciplined and focused hand to ratchet up the drama, Premonition never grips like a thriller should or provides much to invest in. Early on Linda confesses, "I hate surprises." In which case, Premonition would be ideal.

Kevin Murphy