Premonition

  • Review Date: July 16, 2007
  • PG-13
  • Genre: Thriller
  • 2007
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Dark Bullock deja-vu thriller won't interest kids.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that if they're looking for the usual bright-faced, charming Sandra Bullock, this dark thriller will be disappointing and potentially confusing. As a new widow reliving the week of her husband's death out of sequence, it's unclear whether Bullock's character is insane, in a drug-induced hallucination, or living in a parallel universe. Several disturbing scenes include seeing a car that has just been crushed, a bloody electrocuted bird, a severed head tumbling out of a casket, a woman being committed to a psychiatric hospital, and a child's wounded face after an accident. The film never reaches a "horror" level of graphic images, but it's certainly too creepy for tweens.

  • As she relives the week of her husband's seemingly inevitable death, Linda learns to appreciate the extra time with him and to make sure he knew how much she and their daughters loved him.
  • Some disturbing images: Jim's casket opens, and viewers see a quick glimpse of a severed head (only the hair is shown) falling. Linda falls onto a bloody dead bird in her yard; a young girl accidentally crashes through a glass door, leaving her face bloody and later in stitches; Linda witnesses Jim's graphic, fatal car accident.
  • Linda and Jim kiss and are then shown bare-shouldered in bed. Linda discovers her husband was going to have an affair with a co-worker.
  • The usual: "s--t," "f--k," "damn," etc.
  • Linda clearly drives a Ford SUV, and Jim works at a Ford car dealership.
  • Grieving Linda drinks wine and takes prescribed Lithium for her erratic behavior.

What's the story?

Sandra Bullock plays Linda Hanson, a newly widowed stay-at-home mom who wakes up the morning after her husband, Jim's (Julian McMahon), fatal car accident to relive the day before his death. The next day, she awakens to find he's dead again. Her jumps continue with each new day for Linda, as she finds herself going back and forth between the days before and after his death, until she pieces together awful truth surrounding Jim's death.


Is it any good?

 

Even an avid Sandra Bullock fan would have to admit that, while it's slightly original, PREMONITION also exemplifies what's awful about the time-bending thriller subgenre. The problem, of course, is that she's either insane (or, as a priest suggests, a witch with some sort of "shining") or, perhaps, imagining everything in a Lithium-induced dream. Who can be sure? And a halfway through the movie, who even cares any more?

The point is that Linda uses the days on which Jim is alive to show him that she loves him -- even though they weren't really passionate about each other and she eventually discovers that he crashed on his way to cheat on her. Ultimately, she may or may not have a living husband, but she sure-as-Hollywood gets a treacly end to her Groundhog Day spent in emotional hell.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about thrillers with plot twists. What's the appeal of having a big "surprise" at the end of the movie? Are those surprises always satisfying? Why or why not? What do you think really happened at the end of this particular movie? Families can also talk about life and death and second chances. When given the chance to relive otherwise mundane moments with her husband again, how does Linda act differently? What would you do differently if you had a second chance with someone who's gone?


This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Parent of 3 year old
March 31, 2009
 
great thriller
I had to watch it two times to understand. But the movie kept me intrested in what was going to happen next.

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Parent of 2, 7, and 10 year old
May 6, 2011
 
Perfect for anyone 10 and up who enjoys movies that test your mind
I love this movie and so do my step kids and my daughter. They are not sheltered so they know to turn their heads if the movie has "Dirty" scenes. I think as long as you watch a movie and feel comfortable watching it with your kids, then who cares what anyone else has to say.

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Teen, 17 years old
June 24, 2009
 
5 stars for anyone over 13
I LOVED this movie. It's not the best to show kids under 12 or 13, but it's a great thriller with a shocking twist. There is a very important message in the end, and it meant a lot to me...

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Parent of 15 year old
June 13, 2010
 
Engaging and Extremely Well-Made!
I was surprised at the bad reviews that PREMONITION recieved. I didn't really know what to expect while watching, but I really enjoyed the film. The ending was the only problem, but a quick viewing of the alternate ending will fix that. The movie was thrilling, scary, but mostly, inspiring. Characters in the film make sacrifices for each other and their relationships. SPOILER! And, though a husband is poised to make a bad decision, he decides that he cares too much about his wife to be unfaithful to her. END OF SPOILER! There are strong, faith-affirming messages through the whole film, and a mother's love for her children overcomes all of the other problems in her life. Unfortunately, the makers of the film had to throw in one "f" word to make the movie PG-13. Other than that one slip of tongue, the only thing that is inappropriate about the movie is some alarming images that revolve around some bloody injuries of unknown origin. However, it should be fine for anyone 13 and over, because all is explained in the end. NOTE: However, parents of young kids should FF the previews on the DVD, some are pretty alarming.

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Teen, 18 years old
March 21, 2011
 
not a very happy movie. Bad ending. They did not use very many bad words. I think they used 'f' once, d*** once and sh** once, but thats it. It was a waste of time movie because of the ending, but it was thrilling ans suspensful.

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Teen, 16 years old
July 28, 2009
 
A Dark and Depressing Thriller
Premonition is so miserable and depressing, its actually torture to watch, its in desprate need of a happy ending which doesn't happen.

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Teen, 17 years old
January 2, 2010
 
Really good thriller--
Admittedly the first time I saw this movie I really didn't care for it, but when I was just a little older I watched it again and thought it was brilliant! It is a little confusing, so I think 14-15 years + is appropriate, but it's hardly violent or gory. (although there is a death that is implied to have been gruesome) I thought the ending was perfect and the entire execution really well done. I also think Sandra Bullock did an excellent job in this movie, as did all the other actors/actresses. I think any thriller-fan should give this movie a try.

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Adult
July 16, 2011
 
really touching ....

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Teen, 14 years old
April 9, 2008
 
I got depressed
Its very depressing. Its like a violent version of Bullocks movie The Lake House. This is a bad movie. Bullocks first movie of the year is not working out well. Its very shocking. please read this before going to the theater! If you want to see it at all its probably best for dvd. Its very intense. Linda played by Sandra Bullock has a daughter that goes threw glass. Its very bloody when that happens. Thanks for reading my review!

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Teen, 18 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Good movie
This movie was NOTHING like the previews. There was a lot on suspense and not enough result. There are constant flashes of scary images. I am 13 and saw it with my 12 year old friend. she loved it. we both hate scary movies and did not have nightmare from this. -iamhere_now

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This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Studio:Sony Pictures
Director:Mennan Yapo
Cast:Julian McMahon, Nia Long, Sandra Bullock
Genre:Thriller
Run time:110 minutes
Theatrical release date:March 15, 2007
DVD release date:July 17, 2007
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:some violent content, disturbing images, thematic material and brief language.

This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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