NEXT (12A)

WHAT would you do if you could see into the future? Fill in a lottery ticket or bet on a horse perhaps? Failing that you could save the world from nuclear destruction.

Born with an innate ability that enables him to peek into the future, Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage) struggles to overcome the attention that his unnatural gift brings to the outside world.

After undergoing numerous medical examinations, Cris goes underground and maintains a low profile in the dark casinos of Los Vegas, where he makes a living performing cheap tricks and with small-time gambling winnings.

But his talents are no mere parlour trick, and his dexterity with the portals of time has not gone totally unnoticed. Vegas security are watching through their all-seeing casino floor cameras, and are eager to decipher his knack for consistently beating the odds.

Also on his trail is government agent Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore) who wants to capture Cris and convince him to help her thwart a terrorist group that has threatened to detonate a nuclear device in the heart of Los Angeles.

With the time bomb ticking, Cris could be the key in averting a nuclear holocaust. If he doesn't use his powers to back-channel through the right portals and change the present, his future - the future of hundreds of thousands - could be a thing of the past.

But Cris wants nothing to do with the government, especially after the way he was treated by them when he was a child. All he wants to do is make a life with his girlfriend Liz (Jessica Biel), so the two go on the run. However, sooner or later, they have to yield to the pursuit, and Cris is quickly faced with a difficult ultimatum.

Directed by Lee Tamahori, Next is an exciting sci-fi thriller with a fast-paced look and enjoyable cast. Cage, who also produces the film, leads the way and does well in portraying the vast torments that his unique gift brings.