Edge of Tomorrow is shockingly Doug Liman's most impressive work yet!

Rating: 9/10 (8 July 2014)

Tom Cruise and everyone that was apart of last year's disappointing Oblivion must now wish their film was Doug Liman's shockingly impressive sci-fi extravaganza and it's called Edge of Tomorrow. First of all, who knew this film would be good at all after the preview promised another film from the director of The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Those films were good, but did they mention this is the same director of the ridiculously bad film Jumper? He also did another film with Naomi Watts called Fair Game, but it didn't do well at all in the box office. Watts' amazing performance overshadowed Liman's direction. After the way Edge of Tomorrow turned out, I completely forgot about Jumper and Fair Game as this is Doug Liman's best film yet. His direction is noticeable this time and at its best. This film proved that he knows what he's doing not just with action, but with making a feature length film without any distractions. Besides the Groundhog Day concept, the screenwriters actually used the concept to a sharp advantage by not being overly repetitive and continuing this original film's amazing story without being boring or eye roll worthy. Of course, the special effects are absolutely amazing, but we all expected that from a Liman film. Being thrilling with some of the best war scenes you'll see on the big screen this year, not news at all. What shocked me is how the story glued my eyes to the screen and I did not want the story to end. Tom Cruise has to die and replay the day he went to his first battle in an alien invasion. These aliens are terrifying and dangerous and not humans in disguise like Oblivion! A huge kudos to the amazing screen writing team and Liman for bringing this story to life in an actually unblinking fashion. The battles were one thing, while the story unfolded and unfolded. I am beyond impressed how gripping and also how funny the film is. I laughed with the film as the replay concept is cleverly executed through the editing. One of the writers, Christopher McQuarrie is the mastermind behind Usual Suspects, so there is some great dialogue to entertain us as well! Great job! And, who knew this film could be unpredictable? I sure as hell didn't. This isn't Marvel where you know there will be a sequel (which is unfortunately announced before any of those films come out anyway) and the hero will win. Blah blah blah and boo! This film is not like that at all. No sequel. A closed ending for once! So far, it's 2014's gift to the globe in the originality department. Woo hoo! Spike Jonze's Her was last year's gift, and so far, Edge of Tomorrow can be added to the short list of original films of 2010s in the era of Hollywood's recycled ideas. At least, this time, the recycling of ideas doesn't have to bring big time actors down with them. Tom Cruise will always be a blockbuster superstar, and he continues to chew up the screen with his never ending charisma and reminding us why he can play an action hero uncannily. The man is a great actor no matter how crazy he comes off in tabloids. This isn't Mission Impossible where he somehow solves the "impossible" mission no matter what. In other words, not too much as at stake when the title gives you false hopes. Edge of Tomorrow forces you to fasten your seat belts as this is Cruise's most impossible mission yet while more as at stake than imaginable! Cruise convinces you to cheer for him again, no matter how many times he dies. Speaking of which the lack of times he dies or somehow comes back to life (cough Mission Impossible III cough), Liman must have had a blast killing him because he reminds me of the immortal Marvel heroes and their lack of death. At least George RR Martin understands what I mean, because it creates more unpredictability than just pure entertainment. Unpredictability creates more of an experience, and more reasons to spend 12 dollars on a movie in theaters. Seriously! Anyway, back to the actors, which is the other standout in the film and her name is Emily Blunt. She is one versatile actress. I think she may have done every genre so far, and she gives us a very believable performance in the action genre. Her and Cruise have great chemistry, as he does with almost every actress he works with. Emily can do anything, and she is nothing short of bad-ass in the film We'll see her in the musical genre next with Into the Woods. My expectations have skyrocketed for science fiction again with Edge of Tomorrow. My only spoiler free complaint is I wish the ending wasn't what it was. Could have been better, that's all I am saying. At least, the final act was insane, and not what most films have been these days (great beginning only to be ruined by the entire second and third act). Screenwriters can still write original science fiction and I am glad Doug Liman could bring it to life. Thank you Edge of Tomorrow for one helluva ride! Please see ASAP!