A good film, worthy of its place as a summer blockbuster

Rating: 7/10 (11 July 2014)

Edge of Tomorrow (the premise of which I will not discuss here, since it is best experienced than described), will seem familiar to some filmgoers, and that is perhaps inevitable. It seems more and more that summer blockbusters are becoming formulaic and predictable, as studios spend more and more money to gamble on franchises they hope will pay off in the box office. Edge of Tomorrow is, however, familiar in a different sense. It reminds me of summer blockbusters that were fun and engaging and, yes, surprising. Even in the final minutes of the film, I was unsure of where it was going, and for that, I am glad. Tom Cruise plays the lead, and does a great job of reminding the audience why Tom Cruise is a star: he walks the line between relatable and extraordinary, and comes off with both a confidence and a dubiousness that fits well with the narrative of the film. The action is also good. One could easily imagine the film becoming bogged town by too many repetitious action sequences, but director Doug Liman does a good job of making the action chaotic where it needs to be and more subdued when that is called for. One of the most pleasurable aspects of the film is its comment on both action films themselves and, in a sense, video games. It uses its premise to both take characters to dark and compelling places, while also providing levity. For that, the screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, and John-Henry Butterworth should be applauded. Edge of Tomorrow is a good piece of blockbuster filmmaking, and in a cycle of sequels, remakes, and reboots, it is a welcome refreshment.