Bruce Willis says time-travel TIFF opener ‘Looper’ is like ‘a magic trick’

TORONTO – Action star Bruce Willis compares his new time travel flick “Looper” — which kicks off this year’s Toronto International Film Festival — to a magic trick.

Willis and co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt portray the same character in the movie, about hitmen who kill thugs sent back in time.

Gordon-Levitt’s character is tasked with offing the future version of himself (played by Willis) — but panics when the moment comes.

To convincingly play a younger version of Willis, Gordon-Levitt donned heavy layers of special effects makeup.

He also studied Willis’s past films and listened to hours of tape to learn how to mimic the “Die Hard” actor’s voice.

At a festival news conference, Willis gave Gordon-Levitt’s performance and impersonation skills a thumbs up, and applauded director Rian Johnson’s vision of a futuristic world.

“Sci-fi films are like magic tricks,” Willis told reporters. “At some point you have to let go of it and just believe you’re in the story.

“I was so surprised the magic trick we were trying to do works.”

He also praised Johnson for conjuring up a futuristic world yet still creating believable relationships between characters.

“There are reminders the whole way that we’re in a different time situation but it’s a real emotional film,” he said.

The stars of “Looper” were set to walk the red carpet Thursday night and the film is due to open in theatres Sept. 28.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 6-16.