Movie: Oblivion
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Cast: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko and Melissa Leo
Rating: **1/2
With no asses to kick, no impossible missions to accomplish, Tom Cruise is left to clean up remains of the Earth in what is supposed to be the end of the 21st century. This is definitely not the Tom we all have grown up watching, especially after he signed up to a play a suave spy in Mission Impossible series. What we get to see in Joseph Kosinski’s visually spectacular but narratively predictable “Oblivion” is not genre-breaking, but Tom in a role sans heroic moments. While Kosinski’s latest outing is superior to his last film “Tron: Legacy”, yet the former is neither original nor groundbreaking.
Sixty years after a catastrophically destructive battle against alien invaders, entire human race on the Earth has been annihilated and what was left has been evacuated to one of Saturn’s moons. Cruise a.k.a Jack Harper, a techie-cum-commander along with Victoria, is left to monitor a fleet of automated drones assigned to keep alien forces at bay. In short, Jack’s a fixer; he patrols everyday and fixes drones that may have been possibly attacked by unknown forces.
Jack, with his immediate memory wiped clean, has problems sleeping as he constantly dreams of a recent past, a wife and a life he could never imagine in reality. He has also been advised to clean the remains of his current memory in case of capture. As much as he tries to remember his past, he’s stopped from doing so by his efficient teammate, partner Victoria.
Trying to connect the dots, Jack stumbles upon inexplicable events forcing him to dig deep. In the process, he comes to learn that there is something the authorities are hiding from him.
Visually, “Oblivion” is undoubtedly one of the best films of the recent past. The images of ruins of the Earth are grandeur. Hats off to Claudio Miranda’s cinematography – for not only does it elevates the film, but in a way saves it. The film’s problem is its lethargic pace that fails to even engage occasionally with any breathtaking moments, except for few stunt sequences that are likely to go unnoticed. It drags especially in the second half, where we see Jack struggling to even make the simplest of decisions.
There are lot of subliminal messages attached to the film that I fear is likely to leave many disappointed. These moments are left for the audience to understand and that I doubt may not yield the probable response from viewers. If only these moments were as profound as scenes in Matrix, then there is no need to worry.
Cruise sheds his hero face and surprises one and all in a role sans action, glitz and glamour. Of course, he flies in a helicopter-plane-device and occasionally hops on his motorbike, yet there was no sign of Tom ‘Mission Impossible’ Cruise. Even as Tom shines in his role, it doesn’t make much of a difference to see him in a film cursed with weak storyline.
One of the best scenes in the film is where we get to hear Morgan’s opening words on a screen filled with darkness. His deep voice playing in surround sound to an engrossed audience is best when experienced than explained. However, he is totally wasted in a haphazardly conceived supporting role.
One of the highlights is the love triangle between Tom, Olga and Andrea in a post-apocalyptic world. Though it’s interesting but doesn’t quite captivate as much as anticipated. It would be bad on my part if I don’t take a minute to appreciate the film’s pulsating original music by Anthony Gonzalez and M.8.3. I’m sure I would’ve enjoyed the film even more in Dolby Atmos. The production and the art departments too deserve a special mention for recreating a world we may very unlikely see ever.