Freejack

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Freejack
Directed by Geoff Murphy
Produced by Stuart Oken
Ronald Shusett
Written by Robert Sheckley (original novel)
Steven Pressfield
Ronald Shusett (story and screenplay)
Dan Gilroy (screenplay)
Starring Emilio Estevez
Mick Jagger,
Rene Russo
Jonathan Banks
and Anthony Hopkins
Music by Trevor Jones
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) January 17, 1992
Running time 110 min.
Language English
IMDb profile

Freejack is a 1992 science fiction film directed by Geoff Murphy. It stars Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, Rene Russo, Jonathan Banks, and Anthony Hopkins. The film was R-rated in the United States and received disappointing reviews despite an acclaimed cast and the novel concept. The story was adapted from a 1959 novel titled Immortality, Inc. by Robert Sheckley. However, other than the very basic premise, the movie bears little resemblance to the book.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In the 21st century, time travel technology allows people to be snatched from the past just prior to the time of their certain demise. The live bodies, called "freejacks," are then sold to the highest bidder as a host for his/her consciousness, as they are considered already dead and thus have no human rights.

Alex Furlong, played by Emilio Estevez, is a formula car racer who is apparently killed during a race in 1991. However, his body is brought 18 years into the future to 2009, where he manages to escape prior to a mind transfer into his body. Victor Vacendak, played by Mick Jagger, is a hardened security officer contracting for the McCandless Corporation who tries to recapture Furlong. Alex's former fiancée Julie, played by Rene Russo, is now an executive at McCandless.

The remainder of the film concerns Alex's survival in the world of the future, eluding capture by the persistent Victor, and his attempt to revive his relationship with Julie. Ian McCandless, Julie's boss, played by Anthony Hopkins, is revealed to be the dying man trying to steal Furlong's body as he himself died on a business trip out of town.

However, not only do Alex Furlong and Julie have to evade Vacendak's army of security guards and the McCandless Corporation Police forces, they also have to deal with running from the private guards of Mr. McCandless' corporate X.O., Mr. Michellete, who is gunning for McCandless' job as boss of the McCandless Corporation. Alex can't even trust his old associates from 1991 who are now happy to sell him out. Tired of running, Furlong and Julie, Julie purportedly as Furlong's hostage, go to the McCandless corporation headquarters under the direct invitation of Michellete, who reveals to them that he knows Furlong won't take any chances at hurting Julie. He tells them that he took the pleasure of watching the rest of the TV footage of Alex's crash 18 years ago- which shows Julie being restrained by emergency personnel at the moment of Alex's crash. "Your services are no longer needed." Michellette mocks to Julie, who slaps him, to Alex's laughter to his face. That only invites another chase.

Alex, later, is drunk at a bar and publicly reveals himself to television cameras, adding a vulgar postscript to Vacendak that he will not be taken alive. At that point he is rescued by an operative working for Julie as the bar patrons cheer his fight for survival. Later, Julie's attempt to send Alex away to safety fails, and her operative, wounded, makes one last self-sacrificing gesture to save Alex, whom he says gives encouragement to his mother.

Alex later has the opportunity to kill Vacendak, but does not, and Vacendak thanks him by giving him five minutes to run away.

Eventually Julie and Alex are invited into McCandless's virtual reality mind, as McCandless explains everything, including his desire for Julie and his hope to take Alex's body to have a new life. McCandless apologizes, and offers to commit suicide, and give his entire estate to Alex as though the operation had been successful. Julie says it could be pulled off as Vacendak arrives. McCandless was merely stalling for time as Alex was forced into the apparatus: Alex protests, "You don't need a new body, you need a new soul, and there isn't a machine to give you one!" Alex fights the process and the machine breaks down, the results are inconclusive as to whether or not it is McCandless or Furlong in Alex's body now. The scientists cannot determine the answer, but Vacendak can, as only Vacendak knows a secret code McCandless gave him.

Alex reads the code, slowly, and Vacendak asks him to continue. Alex finishes the code quickly. Mr. Michellete tries to kill Alex but is gunned down by Vancendak's men. Alex turns and says that he and Julie will take a drive.

After some pause, Vacendak comes up to Julie and says, "You need to coach him better than that, Julie. McCandless doesn't drive." Julie is incredulous, "Is that you?" "Nibble me on the ear for luck." Alex replies. Julie asks about the code. "I lied." Vacendak responded. "He wasn't even close." Vacendak turned and left with his men.

[edit] Ratings

In the US, Freejack is rated R for violence and adult language. In the UK it is rated 15, whilst in Australia its rating is M15+.

[edit] Taglines

  • Alex Furlong died today. Eighteen years from now, he'll be running for his life.
  • Don't let the future pass you by.
  • Time flies. But to survive in the year 2009, he'll need to move a lot faster.
  • Welcome to the savage world of the year 2009.

[edit] External links