AT A GLANCE: In the year 2077 Earth is a largely deserted wasteland, the end result of an alien invasion that started with the destruction of our moon. Humanity won the war by sacrificing the planet, leaving behind their ancestral home to make a new life on Saturn’s moon, Titan. Jack and Victoria are the last humans stationed on Earth, tasked with maintaining the drones that protect the machines harvesting Earth’s water supply from attacks by the remaining aliens. In a few weeks they will be ordered to leave, and as the time approaches Jack’s dreams begin to intruding on his waking life and his desire to leave behind the Earth begins to wane.
PROS: Stark, clean, gorgeous sets and special effects; breathtaking cinematography; a story that relies more on mood and build up than shiny gizmos and excessive explosions; a great start to the summer science fiction film season.
CONS: Story elements have been done before; those hoping for action over mystery will be disappointed; easy to pick out flaws if you are so inclined; Tom Cruise haters should save their money (and opinions).
MY THOUGHTS: I was excited about the look of Oblivion from the moment the first trailer was released and the film lived up to the expectations I had built for it. I am not a Tom Cruise fanatic but admittedly enjoy his movies because of the consistent entertainment quality of the movies he chooses to get involved in. The movie is absolutely gorgeous to look at and the pleasure derived from the look of the film does not waver throughout the full two hours. The story may be derivative of other science fiction books and films but the way in which the mystery and suspense built slowly made the revelations interesting and kept me actively engaged from start to finish. When the final credits rolled the first word out of my mouth was “Fantastic!”. Having slept on it I feel the same way. I would easily see this again on the big screen.
MY RATING: 4.5/5 stars
The critics seem fairly evenly split over on the Rotten Tomatoes site on whether or not Oblivion is worth seeing, however the one fairly consistent praise for the film is the way that it looks and is shot. Mary and I went with friends to a local new small-town theater that has one very large house with an enormous screen; it has the feel of the old-fashioned movie theaters when spectacle was the order of the day, not how many screens can be crammed in a small space. The choice of venue was a good one because of the stark beauty of the film. The science fictional elements–the living spaces, ships, drones, etc.–are impossibly clean and polished with minimal color and clean lines and their cold beauty are a perfect reflection of the washed out and largely colorless Earth left behind after the massive destruction from the war. The destroyed Earth is a thing of beauty too in that there is shot after shot of sweeping vistas with nary a human in sight and the few remaining structures, evidence of the industrialization of our world, are lovely in their decay. It is a melancholy sort of beauty, and it is a testament to how awe-inspiring our moon actually is that even in its destruction it remains a thing to revere.
For those who have ever day-dreamed about what it might be like to wake up and be the last human on Earth, Tom Cruise’s character Jack provides that vicarious thrill for the viewer as he scouts alone throughout the empty landscape. That sense of being alone and the fear and wonder of the experience are echoed in both the visuals and audio of the film.
There are those who are not fans of Tom Cruise and I don’t fault anyone for their opinions, I have my list of actors/actresses that instantly turn me off of seeing a film. I do make an effort to not pre-judge the film itself because of their presence, instead choosing to not criticize the film if I choose not to see it. From the moment the trailer hit screens Oblivion began taking a beating simply because of Cruise’s inclusion and I have no doubt those opinions color some of the reviews. On the other hand there is a lot of legitimate criticism that exposes the plot holes and the derivative story elements and while I cannot successfully argue against those opinions I find that I don’t really care. There are right and wrong ways to make a movie that borrows from genre tropes and when done right, with a sense of fun and a creative hand, then I am satisfied and feel that the “been there, done that” argument has less merit than it otherwise would have. When it comes to science fiction and fantasy, the two genres I am most passionate about, I find the vitriol-filled rants about whether or not a work is unique to be tiresome.
The cast for Oblivion is a small but effective one. Tom Cruise is Tom Cruise. Love him, hate him or somewhere in between you know what you are going to get with a Tom Cruise performance and I thought he did a fine job. Andrea Riseborough was such a great choice for the role of Victoria. Her pale skin and soft red hair coupled with the muted fashion choices and the manner in which she carries herself delivers a performance that fits like an intricate piece of the overall puzzle of the film. Olga Kurylenko (took me seeing her name in the credits at the end to finally answer that niggling in my head over where I had seen her before: Quantum of Solace) was another great casting choice. Her presence in the film is one of the mysteries so I won’t reveal anything about where or how she fits in, but her exotic look combined with the skill of her performance leaves the viewer questioning who she is and what is going on for just the right amount of time. It seems appropriate to give a nod to the make-up department here as well because both women look naturally beautiful instead of being heavily made up and it may seem like a small thing but I believe the way in which they were dressed and made up adds so much to the mood of the film. It probably goes without saying, but Morgan Freeman was great, if little used. He is Morgan Freeman, people! I mean come on! 🙂
That is about all I want to say about the film. Some of you will see it and feel completely opposite of the way I felt. I would bet money on it. I thought it was…well…fantastic. Is it Star Trek/Serenity/The Empire Strikes Back fantastic? No. However, for my money, it was every bit as good as the science fiction films I like to watch over and over again but don’t love like I do the aforementioned films: Minority Report, I, Robot, Bladerunner, The Island. Even if you are not wowed by the story, you will be in awe of the visuals and that alone is worth at least the matinee price to see it on the biggest screen you possibly can. The film was shot in digital 4K resolution and cinematographer Claudio Miranda uses it to beautiful effect.
Oblivion was a great early start to the summer blockbuster season. I liked it very much. I’ll see it again. In fact I am going to do so with my daughter and future son-in-law tomorrow.
Julie and I enjoyed it quite a bit as well. That says a lot since Julie isn’t as hard core on sci-fi as I am.
I thought the timing of the movie was written well. Just as I was starting to feel lost some dialog would come along to help me understand.
I bet it’s even better the second time.
I’m glad we all went together, made it more fun. And I took note of the fact that Julie enjoyed it as a good sign that it isn’t just a film for SF geeks.
My only complaint at all is that I wish they had held off on the opening voice-over narrative. Jack explains all that stuff again later to Julia anyway. I’m betting it wasn’t there to begin with but test audiences or movie execs thought it was too long into the movie to wait for that information.
That really would have added to the suspense. Might have lost some of the less addicted sci-fi people like Julie. She needs as much ‘why’ as possible.
I agree, and understand why they do these things, just wish they could find a better way. They rarely work well. The Fellowship of the Ring is one of the few voice-over opening narratives that I really enjoy.
Definitely agree! As soon as I heard it, I pretty much figured out a big part of the plot.
Studio execs must still be terrified with the idea of letting an audience work through a movie on their own.
Oh I so agree. I loved Blade Runner, but love the directors cut more… sans voice over.
Yes, same here.
We will probably see this after it comes out on DVD, we just don’t do movies in theatres anymore. I think Tom Cruise is fine, and did really well in Collateral, pretty good in Valkyrie. Morgan Freeman is good in anything.
My most recent favorite Tom Cruise flick is Jack Reacher. That movie was so much better than I expected it to be. Was humorous and a rollicking good action film.
Freeman really is good in anything. Its the voice. Just perfect.
TracyK – this might be a good exception if you are willing. It will still look good on the ‘small screen’ (if you can call today’s tv’s that) but the big screen was incredible.
John, I do hear what you are saying but probably won’t have the opportunity. Prices to see movies are too high and don’t have options for a nice theater experience (usually) where I live.
Amen to that!
Nice review, Carl. Man, do I relate to this bit:
I can’t wait to see it. I also agree about the actor hate. I’m no lover of Cruise and his shenanigans. But — for me — a work of art can live independently of the creator. I feel the same way of Woody Allen. I love most of his work, but not his personal life.
Thanks Rob. You need to get out and see this and let us know what you think of it.
Ben Affleck is the actor I love to hate on in films but really I’ve seen several of his films that I’ve enjoyed and I do think he is a fine actor. He got on my nerves with Armageddon and I just have to let bygones be bygones. It isn’t like, say, Josh Hartnett, who I really don’t think can act.
“But — for me — a work of art can live independently of the creator. I feel the same way of Woody Allen. I love most of his work, but not his personal life.”
Well said, Rob. That’s how I feel about most of Hollywood!
Pretty much the same way I feel about the authors I read. I’d rather not know details about their personal lives and try not to judge their stories based on that.
I had been looking forward to seeing Oblivion since I first watched the preview several months ago. I was not disappointed. I will have to admit though that being a strong fan of the genre, a SciFi movie has to be pretty bad for me not to enjoy it on some level.
The special effects of the movie were just what I like in a movie. They were strong, memorable, and while sometimes breathtaking they did not overpower the experience but rather added to it. They complimented the story very well. I would say the same regarding the cinematography.
I agree with your assessment of the casting. Outside of the questionable casting of Cruise, it was very well done. I am not a Tom Cruise fan but even he can’t keep me away from a SciFi flick. I don’t dislike him, I just think he’s a little overrated. He did well enough in his role here. For me, he comes with too much macho baggage from previous roles to have been the most effective actor for this role. But that’s more my issue than his. Having said that, once the movie got started, his presence was not too much of a distraction. Besides, for my money, Morgan Freeman has at least 4 times the appeal Tom Cruise has any day. (The writers/casting director were cutting it close on that one – subtle tongue-in-cheek poke.)
My criteria for movies – especially SciFi is simple: does it create
1) a world that I would want to experience/explore?
2) a world that has consistent laws of nature – no matter how far out there they may be
3) a story that draws and keeps my interest
Oblivion fell a little short on the second and slightly on the third (I can’t really go into detail without spoiling the ending) but the overall world that was created was well worth the time. The story was one that we have seen before but still held my attention. I found myself asking, “is this going to end like xxxx (movie)? or like xxxx (movie)?” Instead of saying, “That was original.”
Overall – I enjoyed it very much.
I agree about the special effects. I felt this movie was the anti-Michael-Bay film experience.
Like your criteria and would have to agree with them. I would say that for me it met all three although closer scrutiny would point to holes with #2. It certainly kept my interest all the way through and I liked that it didn’t cease to reveal new things right up through (or close to) the end.
What I really appreciate about a Tom Cruise movie is that I know I’m not going to get a lot of excessive nudity nor excessive gory violence. It may be violent but it is going to be largely clean and free of very offensive material. That is something I appreciate.
I hadn’t really thought about it but I guess that is true about the nudity and violence in Cruise’s movies. I do appreciate that and think that other actors could learn from it. Denzel Washington (one of my fav actors) are you listening? I was very disappointed at the opening of Flight.
I do enjoy some of Cruise’s movies – Knight and Day was fun. He just brings too much intensity to his roles for my liking. It’s the same character again and again. But he still ranks above Nic Cage 🙂
Yes, definitely often the same character. Did you see Jack Reacher? We liked it. I think it was Jeff who pointed out to me that Cruise seems to be one of those actors who is very protective of the brand and as such you aren’t going to see him generally doing anything wildly offensive with his acting.
Haven’t seen Jack Reacher. May give it a go on DVD. Kinda in the mood for a Cruise movie after all of this talk. Maybe I’ll slip over to Netflix and catch Minority Report.
I really enjoyed this movie (I’m working on a blog post now) — yes, it isn’t “wholly” original (but one could argue what is these days?), but all of the elements taken together made for a highly entertaining, and occasionally thought-provoking, two hours’ worth of entertainment. I look forward to seeing it again on blu-ray.
Look forward to your blog post Ruth. I agree that little is original these days and I am not sure when that became a barometer for what equates to good, relevant or worthwhile. I see a great deal of bitter commentary in the SF literature world about books being too similar to older material and I can’t help but think that a) there is always a new audience for “types” of literature and b) there is not great virtue in something being wholly unique. More often than not when I see writers going out on an experimental limb the story is interesting in that it is an experiment but holds no lasting meaning for me and doesn’t connect on an emotional level. That is what I want. I don’t want “new”. I want “good”.
I saw this last week, just haven’t got around to my review yet but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I lobe Cruise as an actor so was very happy with his casting.
Look forward to that review!
Not seen this yet but I would like to see it at the cinema because as you mention it looks like it’s going to be visually stunning. I was kind of thinking this would be more a feast for the eyes than the mind but I don’t mind that really.
Thanks for the review.
Lynn 😀
Leaving in a moment to go see it again!
Yup, saw this last night and totally agree with you. I even went into expecting trash but was surprised the whole way through. I’ll be reviewing this one as well 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it too, Lisa! I enjoyed it every bit as much the second time around.
Thank you so much for this review! Your timing is perfect as my husband and I were just discussing (as well as looking at reviews) whether we should see this movie today. You tipped me over the edge, and I’m excited!
You are welcome Deb. I’ll be anxious to know what you and your husband think of it if you have (had) a chance to go see it.
My son and I watched Oblivion, we both loved it. One of my measures of a good movie is when my 17 year old and I talk over burgers and critique the movie. Visuals are great, I enjoyed the mystery and the slow reveal.
That is a GREAT barometer for the enjoyability of a film, Ian. I would have loved to get in on that conversation. Mary and I had a really fun time discussing it over dinner tonight after our second viewing.
Took my youngest son (15 year old) and at the end he said “Goood movie”. High praise indeed. He liked the complex story and was completely surprised by the reveal… So it was money well spent and I also enjoyed the second viewing. I noticed a lot more visual clues.
Wonderful! I enjoyed our second viewing as well. No drop off at all to my entertainment. And I’ve thought about the movie often this week and was actually wishing this weekend that I was going to see it again.
Did you see the review on Tor dot com? It ripped it. Needless to say I was thrilled with all the comments bemoaning the review and saying how much the commenter enjoyed the movie.
I saw it today and I really liked it too. I’m not a Tom Cruise fanatic either, but I do like his films. I will definitely see this again. I think my sons would like it.
Great review, Carl!
Happy to hear it Michelle. It was just as enjoyable seeing it again today.
I’m hoping to see Oblivion this weekend. Cons and all, your post has me even more excited!
I was watching the trailer again today and wishing I could pop into the theater to see it once more. Look forward to hearing what you think about it, pro or con.
Thanks for the review. I’m eager to see this one. 🙂
You are welcome, let me know what you think.
I was on the bubble with OBLIVION. But your fine review tipped me over into the SEE THE MOVIE camp. Maybe this weekend. Next week, I’m going to see IRON MAN 3 on Opening Day!
I’ll be curious as to your thoughts. There are some very interesting negative reviews that seem completely unwilling to acknowledge that, in the end, it was FUN!
I liked Oblivion, for the most part. Like you said, the visuals were stunning. However, I was disappointed with how one dimensional the women characters were. Considering how small the cast was, I think the women could have been given more space and more depth.
I’m not sure I noticed that as much, but none of the characters had tremendous dimension, I think in large part because the story was more about the overall idea than the characters. Or at least that is my thoughts.
I went to see the movie again recently. Two observations that I didn’t appreciate as much the first time but definitely noticed second time around:
1) The score is a big part of what I enjoyed about the movie
2) The number of twists that the movie offers. Although I knew they were coming this time around, I enjoyed the audience reactions to them.
Yes, the score is great. I am also very much taken with the end credits song. I was just driving home from Jeff’s tonight with that song playing in my head.
I have seen the film twice and a couple days ago I was thinking to myself, “I wonder if I could somehow squeeze another viewing in”.
Like you, knowing the twists did not lessen my enjoyment on a second viewing.