Going on its second week and playing conventional and IMAX theaters, the film known as "Oblivion" carries a lot of themes that buffs of the Science Fiction genre will easily recognize. Set in the near future where the planet Earth is a mere shadow of its former self, Hollywood actor and action man Tom Cruise stars as Commander Jack Harper - a mechanic and drone repair man in the near future who is forced to question his reality when truths about his life and Earth surface. I saw the film last week in IMAX, and it's definitely got something to show for the summer list of movies for 2013.
Special thanks again goes to Solar UIP and Universal Pictures for for the screening!
Set in the year 2073, Earth has become all but abandoned following an alien invasion by a race known as the Scavengers, who have destroyed the Moon and in turn almost caused the planet's destruction. Humanity retaliated and won the war, but at the cost of being forced to abandon the planet and relocate to Titan. Jack Harper, a and his partner Victoria are among the last few humans living on Earth to extract resources, but recurring dreams and visions make the mechanic question his place and purpose in life. Following an attack by remaining Scavenger forces and the rescue of an unknown woman he surprisingly recognizes from his dreams, Jack's life will be forever changed as he discovers facts and truths that will literally turn his world upside down.
It's been a while since I've seen a good Tom Cruise movie, and since Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, I've been hard pressed to find something good with the 50 year old Hollywood superstar in the spotlight. While I've missed Jack Reacher in theaters, I heard it was good and will probably look to seeing it when it hits Home Video. All that being said, the 50 year old actor is still going strong with his action films, and Oblivion is another example of the man putting his all of his energy and intensity into a project.
Co-starring with Cruise in the film is Olga Kurylenco, who moviegoers will recognize as the Bond girl Camille Montes starring opposite Daniel Craig in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace. In Oblivion, she plays Tom Cruise's love interest in the film Julia Rosakova, an astronaut in cryosleep who is saved by Jack and opens up questions when he instantly recognizes her from his ominous dreams. Andrea Riseborough plays the second female lead and Cruise's partner Victoria, who plays her part well and assists Harper in his mission. Also starring in the film is the legendary Morgan Freeman himself, who's role as the leader of the Scavengers would be giving away too much of the plot if I detailed it right here. Additionally, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau of Game Of Thrones fame also appears in the film as his right hand man. Overall an impressive cast, and one that makes this an excellent film to watch for the thrill of it.
Overall, Oblivion isn't your groundbreaking Sci-Fi film in recent memory, but it does hold firm in establishing itself as an entertaining flick worth seeing in cinemas, especially for the special effects and set design pieces alone. After directing Tron: Legacy, director Joseph Kosinski made some pretty strong material here, which was originally supposed to be a graphic novel that was unpublished by Radical Comics. The idea came across pretty well, but the presentation and themes were kind of similar to those established by related Sci-Fi futuristic films like "The Terminator" and "The 6th Day". Still, it's also worth noting the use of IMAX cameras also make a difference, and you can't go wrong with high intensity action and awesome special effects. Go and see it if you enjoy Sci-Fi or Tom Cruise films... And Morgan Freeman!
Rating - 3/5
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