The year is 2042 and time travel hasn’t been invented yet, but as Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), our central character informs us, “in thirty years it will have been.” In the future, time travel will be strictly outlawed, only to be used by the most elite criminal organizations as a fool-proof means of getting rid of targets by sending them back in time to get executed by hit-men known as ‘loopers.’

Joe (Levitt) starts the film living life as your average looper: collecting silver bars for killing loops, passing time with his best friend, fellow looper Seth (Paul Dano), and trying to score with dancer Suzie (Piper Perabo). Things really get interesting and all hell breaks loose when Joe’s latest loop to show up is none other than a 30-year older version of himself (played by Bruce Willis).

After getting past the shock of coming face-to-face with a younger version of himself, old Joe manages to get the upper hand on young Joe and escapes into the city. Young Joe is not far behind and that’s when the heart of “Looper” begins. Old Joe is running around the city trying to complete a mission to save the future; young Joe is trying to kill old Joe to fix his mistake of letting his loop run, as well as preventing him from completing his mission. The whole time these simultaneous agendas are trying to be fulfilled, both old and young Joe are being hunted by the looper organization, lead by ruthless Abe (Jeff Daniels).

This movie will require your full attention from start to finish. Those who stay attentive will find themselves in the middle of the ride for what is, perhaps, the best, most engaging sci-fi film of the year.

While the plot may be extraordinarily complex, it is surprisingly neat, organized and unmuddled – especially for a movie about time travel. The plot holes and inconsistencies that tend to plague sci-fi films of this nature appear to be non-existent in Looper.

Looper doesn’t just contain a standout appearance by a class act. Thanks to some heavy chin, cheek and eyebrow makeup, as well as acquiring some extremely convincing Bruce Willis voice patterns and mannerisms, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is convincingly transformed into a young Willis, and soon seems to embody an entirely new person that you no longer even perceive as Levitt.

Willis is as good as ever, running, gunning, punching just like he was still John McClane from 14 years ago. Notable smaller roles  were filled by the likes of actors like Jeff Daniels , always in fine form, and Paul Dano. While all of the actors in Looper did an outstanding job, perhaps none of them did more of a standout job than child actor, Pierce Gagnon, with his mesmerizing performance as Cid. This profound actor’s electrifying portrayal of the key 10-year-old character is unforgettable.

The display of stellar acting that is shown through every cast member of Looper is only the icing on the cake of what makes up the genius of this film.