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Jumper

Jumper

Anywhere is possible.

200888 minPG-13Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Director
Doug Liman
Starring
Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Bilson

David Rice is a man who knows no boundaries, a Jumper, born with the uncanny ability to teleport instantly to anywhere on Earth. When he discovers others like himself, David is thrust into a dangerous and bloodthirsty war while being hunted by a sinister and determined group of zealots who have sworn to destroy all Jumpers. Now, David’s extraordinary gift may be his only hope for survival!

Where to watch

Where can I watch Jumper?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Jumper to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Jumper?

Jumper earns 7 badges, led by Spectacle and Guilty pleasure.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Jumper worth watching?

Jumper's Midcredits score is the 42nd percentile of all films, from 574K ratings across 6 sources. 45% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

42nd percentile

Better received than 42% of films

59th percentile among Action41st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)40th
Approval (how many liked it)45th

59 /100

40th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Action39th percentile among 2000s

Critics 35 · Audience 60

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

45% liked it

45th percentile of all films

60th percentile among Action42nd percentile among 2000s
45% rated it 7–1055% rated it 1–6

Critics 15% · Audience 44%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 5 noms overall

98th percentile

574K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Action96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 4% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$85M
Opening weekend$27M
Domestic gross$80M
Worldwide gross$225M

Returned 2.6× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Everyone agrees on a strong high-concept premise that's let down by shallow execution.

Fans praised

  • cool special effects and action scenes
  • Samuel L. Jackson adds presence
  • creative teleportation premise

Detractors panned

  • weak script and underdeveloped plot
  • hollow franchise setup instead of a complete story
  • bland lead performance from Hayden Christensen

What stands out

Effects and spectacle80

well-staged action, good CGI

Originality70

great teleportation premise

Cinematography70

beautiful travelogue shots

Pacing55

zippy but too fast

ActingDivisive45

Christensen bland, Jackson okay, some praise for Bell

Plot and story35

franchise setup, weak structure

EndingDivisive35

open sequel setup unsatisfying

Characters30

poor development, no depth

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Jumper like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingRomantic
Heaviest: middle
Dry humor
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its teleportation concept with earnest action-movie seriousness but maintains a playful, globe-hopping energy.
The rideThe film maintains a fast-paced, action-driven energy with intermittent romantic interludes; the heaviest stakes emerge in the middle as the Paladin threat escalates.
StructureConventional chronological storytelling with a prologue and then the main narrative eight years later.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayA lightweight action ride that leaves you entertained but not deeply moved.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeDavid discovers teleportation and is hunted by a religious order that believes Jumpers are an affront to God.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeDavid's power defines who he is; the film explores what he chooses to do with it and how it isolates him from others.
StanceThe film watches David use his power without strong moral judgment; it neither celebrates nor condemns his hedonism, simply presenting it.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicForeground music · original score · John Powell
SettingA globe-trotting adventure spanning Ann Arbor, Rome, Tokyo, and the Grand Canyon
MusicJohn Powell's score blends pulsing electronic rhythms with orchestral action cues, mirroring the teleportation effects.

Content guide

Is Jumper okay for kids?

PG-13

Jumper is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some language and brief sexuality” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (46/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at moderate (53/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at moderate (40/100). Overall it is heavier than 46% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 26 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanR15+
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Austria12
  • BGB
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark11
  • GreecePG
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • Russia16+
  • SK12
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 30% of all filmsHeavier than 46% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 50%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 58%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 77%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 32%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 42%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 77% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Jumper have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Jumper?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Hayden Christensen
as David Rice
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jamie Bell
as Griffin
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Samuel L. Jackson
as Roland
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rachel Bilson
as Millie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Michael Rooker
as William Rice
Diane Lane
as Mary Rice
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
AnnaSophia Robb
as Young Millie
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Max Thieriot
as Young David
Jesse James
as Young Mark
Tom Hulce
as Mr. Bowker

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Jumper?

Movies like Jumper include xXx: State of the Union (2005), Redline (2007) and Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992). Of the 4 closest matches, most are whirlwind romances, and all are films that feel adventurous.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Jumper?

980 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: conspiracy thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.