Oblivion Review

Young director Joseph Kosinski based his latest film on a graphic novel he co-wrote with Arvid Nelson. He didn't expect the story to be adapted to the silver screen until Tom Cruise showed his interest. Typically, the production proved to be a lot easier to get off the ground with a major star attached. 

'Oblivion' is stuffed with ideas. Many of which would've made great movies on their own. It's characteristic of many storytellers making their start. The apparent inability to restrain themselves. They try to cram as much of their ideas into a single story as they can. This isn't always a bad thing but in the case of 'Oblivion' it does pose a challenge to the viewer. For every scene in the latter half of the film features at least one plot twist.

'Oblivion' starts off slow. It's 2077 and Cruise's character reveals the specifics of Earth's fate. Sixty years earlier Earth was attacked by an alien race known as the Scavengers, Scavs for short. Humanity fought back with its nuclear arsenal. It won the war but the world was left uninhabitable. The remaining humans decided to colonize Titan and harvest their home planet's natural resources. 

A team of technicians, Jack Harper and Victoria Olsen, are stationed on Earth to protect these operations from the remaining Scavs. Aiding them are a group of drones, overgrown flying iPhone's with guns. Anyone who's seen '2001: A Space Oddysey' will know that these red-eyed robots are up to no good. Everything appears to be going smoothly for Jack and Victoria until a spaceship crashes to the surface. The female survivor is of significant importance to Jack, who remembers her from his recurring dreams. 

To say more would spoil one of film's most enjoyable traits. For 'Oblivion' is a most unpredictable movie. Some twists are downright ridiculous and far fetched but curse me if they aren't entertaining. Another highlight is the look of the future technology. The vehicles and robots are fantastic in their design. The surface of our planet, once green and alive, is turned into a barren wasteland. Here and there we catch a glimpse of the past in the ruins of skyscrapers, football stadiums and libraries. 

Tom Cruise is credible as the level-headed technician Jack Harper. He's confident in his role as mankind's protector but at the same time he sees that not all is as it seems on planet Earth. Andrea Riseborough does a good job as Harper's partner and lover, willfully ignorant of the truth. The character of Olga Kurylenko isn't as well-developed. She drops into the second act of the film and doesn't seem to be much more than a plot device to get the story going. The ever enjoyable Morgan Freeman brings nobility to the leader of a bunch of cave-dwelling rebels. 

Your enjoyment of 'Oblivion' will depend on your tolerance for far fetched sci-fi ideas. Every few minutes a new idea is thrown at the audience without leaving much time for them to digest the implications. However if you don't mind the twists and like to see some top notch special-effects you'll have a good time with 'Oblivion'. It won't be remembered as a great science-fiction film but it's still a good one.