REVIEW: Thought-provoking movie questions what superiority is worth

    There is nothing I enjoy more than a film that leaves me thinking, “What if?” “Limitless,” with its unique concept and artistic cinematography, did just that.  

    “Limitless” is a thriller about Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), a writer with an incurable case of writer’s block looking for a break. Eddie is almost out of options until Vernon (Johnny Whitworth), his ex-wife’s brother, offers him NZT, an exclusive pill that will allow him to use 100 percent of his brain, opposed to only 20 percent we can access in our daily lives.

    With nothing to lose, he swallows the clear, round drug and discovers himself in a more intellectual and charismatic state. With these powers, Eddie is able to finish a book in four days and make millions in the stock market. Unfortunately, these effects are fleeting.

    Eddie must sustain this state of genius by continuing to take the daily dose of NZT. He, in turn, finds himself dependent on the pills and fears his death like Vernon’s previous clients. Eddie must also maintain his safety from people that have experienced or heard about the advantages of NZT.

    All wrapped up in less than two hours, “Limitless,” proves worthy of praise. Of course, there are pros and cons to every movie produced. Let’s start with the pros.

    Bradley Cooper portrayed Eddie with passion and commitment, resulting in a well-executed character. Compared to other recent roles such as, Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck in “A-Team,” Steve in “All about Steve” and Phil Wenneck in “The Hangover,” where he played a light hearted funny-man, Eddie’s character is a bit more on the serious side. He had to witness Vernon’s death, cheat his own and meticulously live his life. This was one of Cooper’s best roles, where he had the opportunity to really showcase his talent.

    Robert De Niro plays Carl Van Loon, a rich businessman looking toward Eddie’s expertise for some tips to run his business and merge with other financial corporations. De Niro, a classic actor, is always a breath of fresh air to any movie.

    Whether he is the protagonist, antagonist or merely an extra – which I don’t think he would ever be unless it was by mistake – he delivers impeccably. For an almost-70-year-old, he’s still got it. De Niro’s natural talent conveyed on screen and his mini-monologue sucked me in. In fact, at that point I was entirely consumed in the movie thinking, “What’s going to happen next?”

    Lindy (Abbie Cornish), Eddie’s love interest, is the girl that won’t wait around for a man with writer’s block who can hardly take care of himself. She has risen to the top with the name as editor at some big publishing company and is fed up with Eddie, until he woos her for a second time. This time, however, hyped up on an unmarked drug. In the end, tasting the extraordinary human’s full capacity, Lindy stays by his side.

    Cornish, a rising star searching for that big role, delivered masterfully, with a sufficient amount of lines and duties. With “Limitless” being one of Cornish’s big breaks, I have high hopes for her next project.

    Kudos to the cinematography. You do not even have to be on drugs to experience the trippy feeling of “Limitless.” I do not know if this was a director’s choice or written specifically in the screenplay, but I was completely intrigued by the unique filming styles. There were parts that I became a little dizzy, but that was just due to the new technique introduced to me. I liked it. I also really liked the subtle choice of change in color. At the beginning, the world on screen was dull. It lacked the true beauty of the world.

    Then, after Eddie took NZT, the colors were more vibrant, clearer and more beautiful in general, making Cooper’s naturally bright blue eyes pop. I wonder if casting directors picked him partly because of his already-vibrant irises.

    There are a few changes I would suggest. The script suggested that Eddie was always a few steps ahead of everybody else. That may be true in his character’s head and in that of the creative genius’ that came up with the idea, but it was not portrayed on screen. I wanted to see more through Eddie’s eyes, what he saw when he was enhanced. How you would portray that, I wouldn’t know, that would have to go back to those creative geniuses.

    The only other thing I would tweak is the end. I am sucker for twists and I would have loved to see a twist like Lindy being hooked at the end or something. It ended well, I was just expecting better.

    When I first saw the preview for “Limitless,” I was imagining it to be mediocre but I didn’t think it would live up to its expectations. I was wrong. Overall, I was very pleased with the outcome. 

– Anike Pullens is a junior majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Sign Language. She enjoys movies any day of the week. Anike is also a DJ for Aggie Radio. Her favorite food is chocolate chip mint ice cream. Anike can be contacted at Anike.pullens@aggiemail.usu.edu