After mankind fights a brutal war with an alien race, the homeland of Earth becomes desolate and abandoned. Beneath its surface, however, the planet retains astounding mysteries. Oblivion follows a man named Jack Harper, played by Tom Cruise, who embarks on a mission to extract the remaining resources on Earth. Amid the ruins of past civilization, he uncovers a living society of humans, led by a man named Beech (Morgan Freeman). The film, directed by TRON: Legacy’s Joseph Kosinski, aims to set precedents in the sci-fi and action genres due to its high production value.
Oblivion takes place on a desolate Earth, and the vast, impressive landscapes are no small feat. In fact, magnificent computer-generated scenery is the highlight of this film. Sci-fi action sequences exhibit a similar grandeur, but the violence feels somewhat out of place in comparison to the breathtaking setting.
Throughout the film, Jack Harper must make difficult choices between following his orders and his inner morality. Oblivion only briefly addresses such themes. The film also heavily romanticizes American culture. In an initial scene, Harper cheesily acts out memories from the 2017 Super Bowl while famous American artifacts litter the scenery.
As a well-respected actor, Cruise’s filmography spans decades with a variety of praises and criticisms. According to some critics, his involvement in last year’s “Rock of Ages” and “Jack Reacher” saved the films from mediocrity. Deadspin writer Will Leitch wrote, “Cruise is without question the best thing about ‘Rock of Ages’ and certainly the only reason to see it,” while Rotten Tomatoes called Cruise’s performance in Jack Reacher “smoothly charismatic.” Cruise’s involvement in countless films speaks volumes about his reputation as a crowd-pleasing protagonist.
Some Aragon students, however, view Tom Cruise and his role in Oblivion as a part of an aging generation. Says sophomore Anish Amirapu, “Tom Cruise was probably more famous ten years ago. Now they’re just using him to market this movie.” Adds sophomore Catherine O’Brien, “He’s kind of old now—and gross.”
At first, the cast of Oblivion appears to be awkwardly robotic. As the film progresses, however, Cruise effectively portrays Harper as a man who learns to achieve his own destiny. Nevertheless, Harper is the only character that receives any development in this film—interesting characters like Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) and Beech are thrown out of the spotlight much too soon.
Like Kosinski’s TRON: Legacy, Oblivion boasts spectacular special effects and exhibits a blend of the sci-fi and action genres. Says O’Brien, “Sci-fi movies need intense action nowadays in order to have mass appeal. Otherwise, the general public might be too bored to sit through the movie.” Junior Julia Murray adds, “I think science fiction needs to have action. Pure sci-fi isn’t as exciting.”
Upon release, Oblivion received largely lukewarm responses. The film maintains a 55 Metascore and a 59% Rotten Tomatoes score. CNN critic Tom Charity called the movie “glossy, derivative, ambitious, and fatally underpowered,” while Canadian news site Globe and Mail called it “a multimillion dollar exercise in competence.” The film’s lack of originality and hard-to-follow plot are among common complaints.
All in all, Oblivion succeeds in cinematic grandeur but little else. Kosinski’s direction makes this movie watchable and well worth the admission price. However, the mediocre cast performance and confusing plot leave much to be desired.
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