The Must-See Blockbuster of the Summer

Rating: 8/10 (11 June 2014)

Summer has been the staple season for the studios' uninspired, unoriginal, and money-driven projects, but that rare moment when a decent blockbuster comes along that completely contradicts all three of those points is the moment of unimaginable relief. Edge of Tomorrow is very much that rare moment for this year's summer, but that shouldn't be surprising considering the fact that Tom Cruise almost always chooses the best projects even when they're primarily action flicks. In this case, the movie starts off incredibly strong as you remain fascinated, trying to figure out what exactly is transpiring on-screen while being tossed into the very heat of the moment.
The spectacle benefits from the likable and charismatic presence of Tom Cruise, portraying a respected officer of the US army named (Major) William Cage who is suddenly commanded to enter the front lines of the most heated destination in the current war between men and alien: France. He is understandably frightened—very much so to the point where he desperately attempts to convince the General otherwise and avoid this disposition at all costs (even reaching the extent of blackmailing this General). Unfortunately, his persuasive skills falter, and thus, he wakes up at an army base soon thereafter, fully unprepared as he heads into combat in a robust exosuit with his fellow soldiers. Eventually, Cage discovers that he wields a terribly powerful, yet utterly outlandish, power that allows him to wake up at a particular point in the day every time he diesin any circumstance.
Edge of Tomorrow features a refreshingly unique story and instead of simply duplicating Groundhog Day's style and structure like many accused it of doing before even seeing the film, it focuses on Tom Cruise's incessant string of deaths (presented more lightheartedly than it sounds) which undeniably helps keep the film fresh and interesting. The thrilling picture boasts a very tight and smart script that excellently guides the viewers through a complex and original plot without stumbling and bewildering us, cleverly maneuvering around any trap that might tire the audience due to the repetition that's infused in its concept. It does so by constantly and creatively finding new ways to continue amusing and intriguing the audience, including taking advantage of the witty humor that the ideas of such a story provoke.
Emily Blunt brings her extraordinary acting chops and newfound badassery to unite with Tom Cruise's character and fight this highly threatening enemy side-by-side. The pairing generates astonishing chemistry that results in some terrific, heartfelt, and hilarious moments between the two. In addition, the film also possesses a very impressive look to it through its filmic grayness and grit, featuring some truly exciting action sequences where all kinds of objects and beings fly past the camera while water and dirt is spattering the screen. In other words, this production is beautifully intense. The enemies of this narrative (called Mimics) are tremendously terrifying; their elastic, arachnid- like appearance already inspires sheer panic, but as soon as they start effortlessly swarming and killing every soldier in their sight, you perfectly realize that these are not just the standard summer blockbuster villains that are easily fought off by a heroic and honorable protagonist.
With that being said, after a slew of intelligent twists and turns, this Sci-fi extravaganza culminated unsatisfyingly, heavily compromising when it came time to wrap up. The reluctance to a darker finish is ridiculous and certainly didn't fit the confident and bleak direction the narrative promised. You could tell how unfitting it was just by glancing at its source material—a Japanese novel titled All You Need Is Kill, which contains a far darker ending, but obviously Hollywood thought it was too large of a risk since their mentality that every movie should end as a crowd-pleaser still remains. Even though its climax was delivered weakly and insecurely, Edge of Tomorrow—as a whole— is undoubtedly the best summer blockbuster so far, exceptionally balancing pure fun, humor, and a seriously thought-provoking story.