Paradox (film)
Encyclopedia
Paradox is a science-fiction television film starring Kevin Sorbo
, Steph Song
and Christopher Judge
, directed by Brenton Spencer
, and based on a comic book by Christos Gage
.
that can project a metal slug into the victim's body, the lead revealing no trace of magic when subjected to analysis. Nault is in charge of the investigation, but is somewhat controversial for his non-use of magic in investigations, such as relying on his own perceptions to tell if a suspect is lying rather than using truth spells.
While investigating the weapon's possible origins, Nault encounters Winston Churchill
, a 130-year-old sorcerer - one of the few people powerful enough to potentially cloak the spells powering such a weapon - who reveals the existence of a strange parallel universe
where there is no magic but science rules supreme, and a way to cross between the two worlds. Churchill explains that the other world has apparently not developed magic due to the higher concentration of iron
in that world. He also states that Nault is uniquely qualified to travel into the other world because he is one of the few people who does not have a counterpart in the 'pragmatic
' world of science, allowing him to exist with equal ease in both worlds.
When Churchill is injured by a bullet in a subsequent attack, he cannot be treated by magic due to the iron nature of the weapon, leaving Nault to team up with Lenore, a pragmatist — the local term for scientist
— to carry out further investigations. Nault and Lenore travel into the other world after Churchill teaches the necessary spell of transference to Helen, the department's necromancer (mortician), due to his own failing state.
Exploring this new world, Nault is fascinated when he watches crime drama and learns about the various scientific methods used to identify bodies and determine guilt, particularly when he learns that his 'trick' of observing suspects is actually a valid scientific method. Nault visits a local police department posing as a Los Angeles detective and learns that their suspect is Professor Hillman, a physicist who recently vanished. He acquires the file on Hillman's disappearance and visits Hillman's house, where he discovesr a runed mirror that provides ability to travel between the worlds, as well as several DVDs of recorded blackmail material. The investigation is hampered when the local police learn that Nault and Lenore do not exist, but they are fortunately returned to their world just as they are cornered by the detectives. Nault determines that DVDs he found are of a senator involved with drug dealing and corruption. He tracks the senator down, but the man is killed in a car crash when he attempts to run Nault over and passes right through him thanks to the only spell Nault can use, an intangibility
spell.
Churchill assures Nault that he has no regrets about dying now and gives Nault a ring, saying that he is aware that Nault is the person who should possess it. Following Churchill's death, Nault and Lenore discuss the other world, Lenore saying that she actually preferred it there because she has always found magic so inexplicable, noting at the same time that their supposedly 'equal' world is still based on the level of magical skill that each person can control.
Attempting to track the mirror Hillman used to travel to the other worlds, Nault realises from the file he received in the other world that the Hillman in the morgue is the magic world's version of Hillman, as he lacks the gold fillings the other world's Hillman possessed. Nault goes to Hillman's house and encounters Hillman's twin brother, Glen, and learns about Hillman's dissatisfaction in the magical world due to his lack of magical ability. Nault discovers that his captain, Papillo, is involved in the conspiracy; the senator was just a useful pawn to gain the necessary power. Nault and Lenore are taken hostage and taken to a base where Hillman's counterpart is waiting.
Papillo reveals that he and Hillman, who came in contact with each other during Hillman's experiments to breach the dimensional barrier, intend to collapse the barriers between the two worlds to bring them together so that science and magic can come together as the survivors of the two worlds learn from each other; the drug-dealings simply provided the necessary finances to gather the equipment. Although Papillo begins the ritual, Hillman and Papillo are killed when Nault intervenes. As Nault and Lenore escape, Nault promises her that they will never stop trying to return to the other world, although Lenore assures him in return that, for the moment, she belongs where he is, the two kissing as the base collapses behind them.
Kevin Sorbo
Kevin David Sorbo is an American actor best known for the roles of Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda and Kull in Kull the Conqueror.-Early life:...
, Steph Song
Steph Song
Steph Song is a Malaysian-born actress raised in Canada and Australia. She was voted Sexiest Woman in the world by Asian readers of FHM magazine...
and Christopher Judge
Christopher Judge
Douglas Christopher Judge is an American actor best known for playing Teal'c in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. He attended the University of Oregon on a football scholarship and was a Pacific Ten Conference player.-Early life:Christopher Judge was...
, directed by Brenton Spencer
Brenton Spencer
Brenton Spencer is a Canadian film and television director. His television credits include Earth: Final Conflict, Andromeda, 21 Jump Street, Mutant X, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Sanctuary, Stargate Atlantis and among other series. His film credits include Blown Away starring Corey Haim, Corey...
, and based on a comic book by Christos Gage
Christos Gage
Christos N. "Chris" Gage is an American comic book writer and screenwriter.-Early life:Gage is the son of author and journalist Nicholas Gage. He was born in New York, and grew up in Athens, Greece, and then North Grafton, Massachusetts...
.
Plot
Sean Nault is a detective in a world just like ours — except that magic rules the day and almost nothing is known of science. Someone is killing people using a deviceGun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
that can project a metal slug into the victim's body, the lead revealing no trace of magic when subjected to analysis. Nault is in charge of the investigation, but is somewhat controversial for his non-use of magic in investigations, such as relying on his own perceptions to tell if a suspect is lying rather than using truth spells.
While investigating the weapon's possible origins, Nault encounters Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, a 130-year-old sorcerer - one of the few people powerful enough to potentially cloak the spells powering such a weapon - who reveals the existence of a strange parallel universe
Parallel universe
Parallel universe may refer to:-Science, physics and philosophy:* Multiverse, the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes* The many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics-Fiction:...
where there is no magic but science rules supreme, and a way to cross between the two worlds. Churchill explains that the other world has apparently not developed magic due to the higher concentration of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
in that world. He also states that Nault is uniquely qualified to travel into the other world because he is one of the few people who does not have a counterpart in the 'pragmatic
Pragmatism
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition centered on the linking of practice and theory. It describes a process where theory is extracted from practice, and applied back to practice to form what is called intelligent practice...
' world of science, allowing him to exist with equal ease in both worlds.
When Churchill is injured by a bullet in a subsequent attack, he cannot be treated by magic due to the iron nature of the weapon, leaving Nault to team up with Lenore, a pragmatist — the local term for scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
— to carry out further investigations. Nault and Lenore travel into the other world after Churchill teaches the necessary spell of transference to Helen, the department's necromancer (mortician), due to his own failing state.
Exploring this new world, Nault is fascinated when he watches crime drama and learns about the various scientific methods used to identify bodies and determine guilt, particularly when he learns that his 'trick' of observing suspects is actually a valid scientific method. Nault visits a local police department posing as a Los Angeles detective and learns that their suspect is Professor Hillman, a physicist who recently vanished. He acquires the file on Hillman's disappearance and visits Hillman's house, where he discovesr a runed mirror that provides ability to travel between the worlds, as well as several DVDs of recorded blackmail material. The investigation is hampered when the local police learn that Nault and Lenore do not exist, but they are fortunately returned to their world just as they are cornered by the detectives. Nault determines that DVDs he found are of a senator involved with drug dealing and corruption. He tracks the senator down, but the man is killed in a car crash when he attempts to run Nault over and passes right through him thanks to the only spell Nault can use, an intangibility
Intangibility
Intangibility is used in marketing to describe the inability to assess the value gained from engaging in an activity using any tangible evidence...
spell.
Churchill assures Nault that he has no regrets about dying now and gives Nault a ring, saying that he is aware that Nault is the person who should possess it. Following Churchill's death, Nault and Lenore discuss the other world, Lenore saying that she actually preferred it there because she has always found magic so inexplicable, noting at the same time that their supposedly 'equal' world is still based on the level of magical skill that each person can control.
Attempting to track the mirror Hillman used to travel to the other worlds, Nault realises from the file he received in the other world that the Hillman in the morgue is the magic world's version of Hillman, as he lacks the gold fillings the other world's Hillman possessed. Nault goes to Hillman's house and encounters Hillman's twin brother, Glen, and learns about Hillman's dissatisfaction in the magical world due to his lack of magical ability. Nault discovers that his captain, Papillo, is involved in the conspiracy; the senator was just a useful pawn to gain the necessary power. Nault and Lenore are taken hostage and taken to a base where Hillman's counterpart is waiting.
Papillo reveals that he and Hillman, who came in contact with each other during Hillman's experiments to breach the dimensional barrier, intend to collapse the barriers between the two worlds to bring them together so that science and magic can come together as the survivors of the two worlds learn from each other; the drug-dealings simply provided the necessary finances to gather the equipment. Although Papillo begins the ritual, Hillman and Papillo are killed when Nault intervenes. As Nault and Lenore escape, Nault promises her that they will never stop trying to return to the other world, although Lenore assures him in return that, for the moment, she belongs where he is, the two kissing as the base collapses behind them.
Cast
- Kevin SorboKevin SorboKevin David Sorbo is an American actor best known for the roles of Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda and Kull in Kull the Conqueror.-Early life:...
as Detective Sean Nault - Steph SongSteph SongSteph Song is a Malaysian-born actress raised in Canada and Australia. She was voted Sexiest Woman in the world by Asian readers of FHM magazine...
as Lenore - Christopher JudgeChristopher JudgeDouglas Christopher Judge is an American actor best known for playing Teal'c in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. He attended the University of Oregon on a football scholarship and was a Pacific Ten Conference player.-Early life:Christopher Judge was...
as Captain Papillo - Alan C Peterson as Winston Churchill
- Alisen DownAlisen DownAlisen Elizabeth Jean Down is a Canadian film and television actress. She was born in Langley, British Columbia.-Early life:...
as Helen - Jerry WassermanJerry WassermanJerry Wasserman is an American film and television actor.Wasserman was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.Wasserman is currently working his role in Alien Trespass stated in post-production and Watchmen, released in March 2009....
as Hillman - Michael St. John Smith as Senator Booth