Oblivion Entertains

Rating: 9/10 (22 April 2013)

If you measure Oblivion on pure entertainment value it earns 9 out of 10. The film is beautiful to look at, engaging, and immersive.
Throughout, the viewer is sympathetic toward the protagonist and other characters. One feels compassion for the characters' situation and interest for how things will turn out for them.
In my opinion, one of the earmarks of a good science fiction story is that it establishes a set of rules or laws and then follows those rules to their logical conclusions. As you become familiar with the rules, it is possible to almost anticipate what will come next, building tension as you wait. So long as the story obeys its own rules, I am willing to suspend my disbelief and the science fiction, however radial, drives the story. Oblivion does this well, explaining the state of the world, if you will, and then remaining completely within those confines throughout.
The cinematography, computer generated graphics, and story logic (as described above) combine to make this science fiction film plausible, beautiful, and entertaining.