The Facts:
Synopsis: A veteran assigned to extract Earth’s remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself.
Stars: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rated: PG-13
Running Length: 124 minutes
Trailer Review: Here
TMMM Score: (8/10)
Review: I’ll start this review with an admission of bias: I really like futuristic sci-fi films set in a dystopian climate. From Prometheus to Moon to 2001: A Space Odyssey to 2010: The Year We Make Contact, I just really respond to the chilliness of the whole genre. So it’s no surprise that early trailers for Oblivion caught my eye and I made it a point to see this film on the biggest screen possible to immerse myself in the world created by director Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) and screenwriters Karl Gajdusek, Michael DeBruyn (who adapted Kosinski original graphic novel)
A lot of people had issues with Kosinski’s Tron: Legacy feeling that it was a meal that looked good but offered no sustenance. I can see where those detractors were coming from but found that film to be better than its predecessor decades earlier. Kosinski wisely knows how to use current technology to make a future world look sleek and believable and though Oblivion isn’t as all tech consuming as Tron: Legacy was it’s still a strong entry into the sci-fi genre.
Plot-wise, there’s not a lot here that you haven’t seen before if you’re a fan of science fiction of any kind. The notion of a future world suffering the after effects of a war with an alien race has been done to death from the truly great films to the very awful direct to television offerings. What sets this one apart, though, is a focus on stronger character development, impressive visual effects, and a crack cast that knows exactly what kind of movie they are operating in.
Star Tom Cruise is having a nice renaissance after several years of being the punch line to a never-ending onslaught of couch jumping jokes. Though he started 2012 strong with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, his next two films didn’t catch fire like everyone had hoped…though to be fair Rock of Ages was a nightmare film with Cruise the only saving grace. December’s Jack Reacher was vastly underrated and should have been a bigger hit. Oblivion has put Crusie back into a fighting spirit and for good reason…it’s a role tailor made for the action star and it gives him a chance to kick butt while showing a lighter side too.
He’s supported ably by two strong females. Andrea Riseborough may be my new star to watch…after turning up in Madonna’s directorial debut W/E, she delivered a layered performance in Disconnect and her role here as Cruise’s partner in work and love is nicely complex. We’re never quite sure what side she’s on and even when we think we’ve figured it out, the film throws some nice twists in to keep us guessing. Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) plays a character with secrets I shan’t give away but proves to be more than a woman that Cruise has to merely save.
Don’t be deceived by ads (or the above poster) that show Morgan Freeman playing a main role in the film. While he does hold some significance his screen time is severely limited, ending up being more of a cameo appearance than anything. Melissa Leo is one of the most earnest actresses out there so one should watch her performance here carefully…after the film is over her restraint is quite telling.
Seen in an IMAX theater, Oblivion has a lot of sound and fury…signifying something. It’s a booming picture with amazing visuals and a sound design seemingly meant to test the sound proofing on any theater (as the credits were rolling I was almost out the door to the theater and could still hear the film playing). The soundtrack by M83 is electronic heavy (I originally though Tron: Legacy composers Daft Punk had been tapped again for the soundtrack) and works nicely into the action.
This is a film that really should be seen first in the theater for the visuals alone. It’s not going to revolutionize the sci-fi genre, nor does it really aim to. It’s a compact re-tread of the best parts of other films that works more than it probably should. I know the film has its nay-sayers and I completely see where they’d be coming from – but the film experience that I had was very rewarding and very unexpectedly entertaining.