Combines science fiction, old-fashioned detective, and a love story
Hugh Jackman in “Reminiscence”: Miami when the ocean drowns
Jackman is the pioneer of superhero movies as Wolverine in the X-Men series.
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Superhero film pioneer Hugh Jackman, star of Wolverine in the "X-Men" series, did not hesitate to accept the offer he received to participate in "Reminiscence", a prequel to the future that combines science fiction, old-fashioned detective style and a love story.
The idea of the film, produced by "Warner Brothers", and which is starting to be shown in American theaters today, stems from the imagination of the creators of the television series "West World", which achieved great success, and its events take place in the city of Miami, but in a different way, after the high ocean level caused it to be inundated. Almost completely.
This made the city's residents, with the exception of the wealthy, living in miserable conditions on crime-ridden islands, or in flooded alleys.
There are no supernatural powers in the film, but rather technology that allows the financially able to live the memories of the happy past, with all its details, hence its title, which means “memories of the past.”
"I can't really criticize the movie series, I've been Wolverine in nine tapes," Hugh Jackman told AFP.
But I think the public wants something new.”
In Reminiscence, a bit like the Minority Report, the Australian actor plays a scientist who runs one of these secret memory labs, whose life is suddenly turned upside down when a mysterious client asks him to help her remember where she left her keys.
The film was written and directed by Lisa Joy, who, along with her husband, Jonathan Nolan, created Westworld.
Joy considered that the film "was a challenge," adding, "We would not have succeeded without Hugh's support."
"It was my first feature film as a director, and I had the innovative idea of flooding Miami," she said.
She confirmed that Hugh Jackman's participation in the film, and his saying "I believe in it", was an encouraging factor for her.
As for "Reminiscence" producer Jonathan Nolan, in 2000 he explored the depths of human memory by writing the story of the thriller "Memento" directed by his famous brother Christopher.
In the same year, Jackman was participating in the filming of the first part of "X-Men", a work that marked the beginning of the era of the Marvel superhero movie series, which has achieved huge revenues at the box office since then.
The nine films in which the actor played Wolverine has grossed over $4 billion in total.
A private investigator and a Greek legend
Hugh Jackman in "Reminiscence" plays "a private investigator of the mind, sort of a prankster between Wolverine and (American actor) Humphrey Bogart," notes Lisa Joy.
Hugh Jackman joked that Detective Nick Bannister, his character, "may be using his fists more than Bogart ever did," acknowledging that there was "something" about Wolverine in his character.
In the film, there is a conflict between Bannister, a war hero suffering from post-traumatic stress, and a network of drug dealers and landowners who control the few islands that have not been flooded.
Jackman, 52, explained that Bannister, just like Wolverine in "X-Men," "appears tough and rude (...) as a result of suffering."
The film is based on the old Hollywood style of a ruthless private detective, but is also inspired by the mythical Greek love story between Orpheus and Eurydice.
This "mix of genres" seduced the multi-talented Australian actor, who has won awards for his musical performances on "Les Miserables" and "The Greatest Showman" as well as for his action films.
He said: "Everything is new to me, even when I was playing Wolverine, it seemed new to me and was motivating, but I think taking on a role of this kind seems very innovative, which is exciting."
• The movie, which starts showing in American theaters today, is based on an old Hollywood style.
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