This gripping and well-acted science fiction film leaves an impression.

Rating: 7/10 (8 July 2014)

Edge Of Tomorrow is definitely one of the must-see films of this year. Director Doug Liman infused this military science fiction story with his distinct action style. But as good as the film is (I can even call it inspired) it's still dragged down by Liman's lack of artistry and his inability to create a clear narrative. Edge Of Tomorrow is a good-looking film. At times there's some very impressive imagery, especially in the action scenes. Shots of Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) come to mind. But, overall, there isn't much to look at except for the metal suits. The film starts out rather slowly as the viewers are introduced to an alien threat (the Mimics) and what is being done to fight them. William Cage (Tom Cruise) is there from the beginning, though his character becomes interesting only later. The story begins developing once Blunt is on screen. She's magnetic in her role as Rita and clearly the best feature of the film. This is one tough woman that one can actually admire. She looks like a heroine but, in addition to her determination, Blunt also brings some vulnerability to the character. This shows that there's more to her than being a soldier. I didn't really expect Blunt to deliver a good performance. Her previous work in Hollywood films didn't show much. I haven't seen any of her work in English productions. Edge Of Tomorrow is an American film but for some reason it takes place in England and in Europe. Almost all of the characters are English. The film clearly reaches its peak in the middle. That's when the best most exciting action occurs. That's when Cruise's character begins to develop. That's when the story gets most interesting. The Japanese light novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka was the inspiration for Edge Of Tomorrow. Surprisingly, except for the main characters, there aren't many changes from the light novel. The story is basically the same. William Cage (Keiji Kiriya in the light novel) gets caught in a time loop where he wakes up one day in the past after having been killed on the battlefield. Cruise is playing against type here because his characters is a coward for most of the film. The repetitious concept is used as a means of exploring the protagonist's deeply flawed nature and reluctant push for self-improvement. As for the other characters, I could care less about them. Time is spent on developing them too, but they're not a memorable or even a likable bunch. Because of its action and sense of urgency Edge Of Tomorrow is similar to The Bourne Identity (2002), which is another Liman film. However, it also contains some humor, making it seems similar to Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) too. It's better than both of those good-but-flawed films, so it's a summer release that I definitely recommend.