Most Original Big Budget SF Since Inception

Rating: 9/10 (15 June 2014)

Original not just in terms of idea, but how they deliver the story in 2 hours. I hate the 2 hours format by the way - so constricting, so ancient, so arbitrary and stupid. But they did it. The editing is just CLASSY.
Am not the biggest Tom Cruise fan, but I would go out to watch a big budget movie because Tom Cruise is in it. In spite of my dislike for the totally-lame-premise-and-ending of War of The Worlds, I still trust him to deliver entertaining-enough mainstream products. Still, I never expected a Tom Cruise produced SF to make my SF list though. My idea of of great SF are Blade Runner, The Matrix, Battlestar Galactica TV remake. This one will go onto my top 10 list, which is saying something...
Surprisingly, again, Tom Cruise managed to look believable as a physical fighter. Emily Blunt is an interesting casting choice - not the most menacing female soldier, more a sexy-bicep pouty poser kind of fighter, but well we can't put Katee Sackhoff next to Tom Cruise can we? She will make him look like a wimpy auntie instantly...
The visual design and CGI are simply stunning, even in a world saturated with over-produced SF visual works. Alien design...well...seems like the trend is leaning towards slimy creepy crawlies non-bipeds...thanks to Spielberg. Also, "borg" or group mind ET is becoming a cliché, for me anyway. I hope the next SF will bring us even more interesting Alien ideas.
It's a relief that big superstars still produce good work they star in. Shows that big ego can co-exist with big brain in the same body. Pheewww.
Overall, not a bored moment. Highly recommended.