news
Reel Toronto: Jumper
Toronto’s extensive work on the silver screen reveals that, while we have the chameleonic ability to look like anywhere from New York City to Moscow, the disguise doesn’t always hold up to scrutiny. Reel Toronto revels in digging up and displaying the films that attempt to mask, hide, or—in rare cases—proudly display our city.
This film should have been great, what with honourary Torontonian Sam Jackson and the cool special effects and all. The filmmakers also went all out, filming in Tokyo, Egypt, Rome, and…Peterborough. That’s right—no matter how exotic you get, you can’t make a film this flawed without giving Toronto and the GTA a little love!
Let’s start with Peterborough, which plays Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the flick. True story: Ann Arbor and Peterborough are actually sister cities! Despite a little digital paintwork, locals had zero trouble spotting the landmark water tower.
There’s a nicer view down Kenneth Avenue here.
In an early scene, young Jumper Dude (soon to be TO’s own Hayden Christensen) falls into a frozen pond (actually in Ann Arbor!) but then he realizes he can instantaneously transport himself just about anywhere, starting with the main branch of the Peterborough Library.
Having a little fun, Christensen robs a bank and bad dude Sam Jackson comes to check it out. But as we see from the exterior on Bay Street…
…and the interior, this is the Canada Permanent Trust building.
Sometimes Reel Toronto likes to play detective, and sometimes we just like a gimme. So this bar (ostensibly in London) is actually, um, the Irish Embassy on Yonge Street.
The more bohemian set might recognize this one as the Green Room, off Brunswick.
We also get to see the patio.
We know they shot something in High Park, so we presume it’s this jungle scene.
There’s a big finale scene at this here apartment. Humble it may be, but it’s actually out on Gamble Avenue.
Jumper‘s a bit of a weird animal because while they shot some other interesting bits (at U of T’s Knox College and a “Seattle” scene in Peterborough, for example), the film got changed around and re-shot in parts before its release. No big loss.