Oblivion

Cast of Characters

Jack Harper - Tom Cruise
Malcolm Beech - Morgan Freeman
Julia Rusakova - Olga Kurylenko
Victoria Olsen - Andrea Riseborough
Sykes - Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Sally - Melissa Leo

Director - Joseph Kosinski
Screenplay - Karl Gajdusek & Michael Arndt
Based on the graphic novel “Oblivion” by Joseph Kosinski
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, brief strong language and some sexuality/nudity

      During his career that has spanned now over thirty years, Tom Cruise has been called upon to rescue either his beloved and (or) the entire world enough times to lose count. Now in 2013, "Cruise saves humanity" has reached film number infinity in the sci-fi flick Oblivion.

      The year is 2077. Tech 49 Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is one of the last drone repairmen on Earth. Earth has been ravaged sixty years ago by an invading race of aliens known as Scavs. Jack, along with his girlfriend, Victoria "Vika" Olsen (Andrea Riseborough), work as a team to oversee and protect an operation that drains the Earth's water supply and send it to their space station Tet - humanity's escape vessel from the planet. It is from Tet that they receive orders from their mission control commander, Sally (Melissa Leo). When their mission is completed, they will leave Earth to join the rest of the human race colony on Titan, one of Jupiter's moons.

     As you'd expect, a monkey wrench of complications is thrown into the gears when Jack finds a crash-landed space ship five survivors. He's able to save one from the crash, Julia Rusakova (Olga Kurylenko), who experiences some Deja vu when she sees Jack. Jack also comes into contact with Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman), the leader of a human resistance that may or may not have some answers Jack will want to hear if he wants to save both himself, Vika, and Julia.

      This movie borrows from almost every science-fiction movie since 2001: A Space Odyssey. That being said, to quote film critic Richard Roeper, "This is the sci-fi film equivalent of watching a pretty damn good cover band." Yeah, it's not exactly original, but just like you wouldn't fault a band if it can nail someone else's song note for note, you can't quite fault this film if it can manage to take borrowed ideas and execute them well. The sound, special effects, and cinematography are all at Oscar worthy levels. Watch this film, and you're in for some first rate visuals that are as good as they get. The performances are top notch as well. Tom Cruise - after the bland Jack Reacher - gives another solid and dependable leading man performance. The lovely Olga Kurylenko and Andrea Riseborough are both terrific as the women in Jack Harper's life, and Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and Melissa Leo show once again why they're Oscar winners. Leo, in particular, redeems herself from the God awful performance she gave in Olympus Has Fallen (coincidentally, also with Freeman) earlier this spring. There are a few twists that you can see coming, but at the same time, for every predictable twist, there's one that's downright clever.

      While not perfect, director Joseph Kosinski (who previously directed Tron: Legacy) knows how to put together a sci-flick that can be just as effective in the quieter, intimate moments as it is during the thrilling, action packed moments. I did get a chance to see this in the IMAX format and if you get a chance to see it in that format at your nearby theater (nothing else for IMAX is opening this week, so it should still be available) I strongly recommend it. The film alone is well worth the price of admission. The excellent sound and visuals on top of that is worth the extra 5-8 bucks more for IMAX. If this is that start of the summer blockbuster season, this is pretty good way to start it up. I give Oblivion a B+ (★★★½).