Plot
It’s the year 2077 and Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is one of the last men left on Earth following a catastrophic war with an alien species 60 years ago. The humans won with the use of nuclear weapons but left the planet wasted, decimated by radiation and natural disasters following the invader’s destruction of the moon. Along with his partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) he is part of a ‘mop up crew,’ keeping the defensive drones operational against remaining aggressors. As he nears the end of his duty and prepares for his transfer to the new human colony on Titan, a ship crash-lands carrying cryogenically frozen humans including a frequent visitor to his dreams, Julia (Olga Kurlyenko), throwing his life into disarray.
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They've a thing for smooth white balls it seems. |
Review
Joseph Kosinksi made quite a splash when he landed with his debut feature Tron: Legacy in 2010. Lauded for it’s remarkable visual effects, world immersion and aesthetic commitment, it was considered a beautiful shell: superficially outstanding but ultimately somewhat soulless. Oblivion marks his anticipated return to the big screen, adapting his own previously unpublished and untitled graphic novel.
His challenge with Oblivion, then, was to round up all that made Tron: Legacy remarkable while pushing his own style forward with a bit more of those important ‘narrative’ and ‘character’ things people tend to go on about.
To his credit, he pushed it at least five feet up the hill before presumably collapsing in a sweaty heap the particle effects of which would BLOW YOUR MIND.
Unless you’re James Cameron with his personal magical dimension made of gold and rubies, it’s as good as impossible to predicate your entire film on visual gusto alone. It’s a failing similarly suffered by Oz The Great & Powerful earlier this year: a film of bounteous visual and aural beauty but, to put a dramatic edge on things, left wanting for a soul. Obliviondoes not suffer quite so badly from this sense of superficiality though. As said earlier it’s a rheumatic shuffle in the right direction.
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No CGI, this is exactly what Iceland looks like. Nobody has a clue what they're up to. |
Kosinski is clearly a man with an eye for detail. Oblivion is typified by its beauty, wonderfully conflating the natural vistas of Iceland (where much of the film was shot) and top quality CGI to create a visually striking production, all ordered according to a fantastically well realised design aesthetic; sleek, spherical whites versus sinister, clunky blacks. There’s been a growing trend within recent films and video games – I Am Legend, The Last of Us - to treat apocalyptic dystopias not as grim grey miserable wastelands but instead as voluptuous declarations of nature’s power; the dominion of jungle life, flora & fauna burying the dusty mud and bringing new life to the crumbling dilapidated buildings. While Oblivion doesn’t push the style as far as the likes of Enslaved, it presents the most engagingly realistic interpretation yet to be seen on cinema screens, helped no end by the naturally glorious landscapes of Iceland.
The same cannot be said of the characters however, most (if not all) of which are paper-thin at best and downright inert at worst. Tom Cruise may be called Jack Harper here but have no doubts: this is Tom Cruise playing Tom Cruise. Not that that’s a particularly bad thing – he’s one of the biggest and most likeable film stars in the world for a reason – but there’s a lingering desire for a character who can match the high-brow concept. If the planet has been literally reshaped and transformed, then a similar treatment for Mr. Cruise would not only make thematic sense but stand as a uniquely fascinating string to the film’s bow.
Elsewhere, Olga Kurlyenko’s survivor Julia is about as interesting as the greyest wall in Greyland while Morgan Freeman’s Beech and Jaime Lannister himself - Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s Sykes - barely leave an impact in roles as substantial as soup water. At least Andrea Riseborough continues to impress as by-the-books Victoria.
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Future engineers will apparently forget what 'colour' is. |
Oblivion is an exercise in pacing; like an F1 track it slows to meander through corners before rocketing full-pelt down the straights. Setting its world up in minutes, Oblivionlaunches into a pondering exploration of its world and substantial lore. It’s filmmaking that could easily bore, but the blatant care and lavish attention paid to the minutest details create a naturally engrossing experience. Something helped no end by Kosinski’s flawless technical ability.
Plot twists, too, are well constructed and confidently delivered, creating a second act of effortless pace and intrigue. Action is the word of the day for the bulk of Oblivion’s second hour and it doesn’t disappoint, remaining refreshingly varied and exciting throughout
It’s just a shame then that, after laying all of its narrative trump cards on the table, Oblivion seems to stop caring. The ending is set up and then left to dangle while the characters play catch-up to create a conclusion that, while still entertaining, feels flat and deflated in comparison to what comes before it. It’s a feeling capitulated by the eventual unveiling of the resident Big Bad who, to avoid treading into spoiler territory, will remain undescribed. However, the impression when in it’s company is far more apathetic than fearful or excited.
Standard sci-fi mistakes are also present in spades, namely plot-holes and inconstancies. Narrative issues are left ignored and the inherent issues that accompany staple sci-fi devices (which cannot be specified in order to steer well clear of that dark irrepressible quagmire The Spoiler Zone) rear their ugly heads. Ultimately, much like Oblivion’s characters, the film attempts to ignore its respective Radioactive Zones rather than address them. Whereas Looper gleefully subverted the notion of time-travel for its own devices, Oblivionmerely seems to squeeze its eyes shut and hope that the pretty images will be enough to silence dissenting voices.
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'I dunno dude, I can't see the Statue of Liberty anywhere.' |
Verdict
Oblivion marks the creation of an accomplished, engaging sci-fi world. While the narrative may be riddled with inconsistencies and characters border on being cardboard cut-outs, there’s more than enough action packed entertainment and visual splendour on hand to be worthy of a spare evening.
3/5
Tom Cruise plays Tom Cruise in Tom Cruise: The Movie:
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