A solid and visually pretty sci-fi film

Rating: 7/10 (20 April 2020)

You know, I'm going to cut right to the chase and admit that I find it somewhat hard to find myself compelled to talk about a movie that I don't have a strong opinion on- when I write a review, I like it to be on a movie that I either really really like or really really dislike. I just find it easier and more enjoyable to talk about a movie that I feel strongly about. So in all honesty, I'm finding it a little difficult to muster up enthusiasm to discuss the latest Tom Cruise film Oblivion. I saw it last night, and honestly, it was pretty good, but not great- hence why I feel a little reluctant to talk about it. The fact that the movie has so many twists and turns also makes me feel a little hesitant to review the film, so I'll keep this one kind of brief, and refrain from giving away any plot details.
All you really need to know going into this film is that its science fiction and Tom Cruise is the star- the plot is so full of twists (some impressive and some kind of "meh") that it's probably in your best interest to go into the film free of any spoilers, be them major or minor in nature (remember kids: "spoilers absolutely suck"). And besides, the plot is spelt out for you so literally thanks to a five minute opening narration from Cruise's character that you don't really need any context going into this.
I have to say though that this led to a kind of underwhelming beginning, as his narration goes on for a long time and causes little to be left to the imagination, at least for the first portion of the film. The voiceover is a cinematic technique that I've never really made up my mind on; sometimes it can work really well (see Billy Wilder's 1950 masterpiece Sunset Boulevard), yet sometimes it feels awkward and unnecessary (see the infamous theatrical cut of Blade Runner, with a disgruntled and bored-sounding Harrison Ford). The voiceover in Oblivion isn't a prevalent force throughout the entire film, but it does overstay its welcome in the film's prologue. I found myself wishing that the film had found a slightly more subtle and natural way to introduce us to the film's world and its characters.
Thankfully though this voiceover (which I keep rambling on about for some reason) is accompanied by some absolutely stunning imagery, which, unlike the voiceover (there I go again) is a constant presence in the film. Seriously, this film is absolutely gorgeous, and without any gimmicky, blurry, distracting 3D effects, it is, simply put, a joy to look at. Everything is so smooth, white, and so very very shiny, and though the film takes place on a desolate and destroyed Earth, it's still just so staggeringly beautiful. This is perhaps one of the most visually awe-inspiring films I've seen for a while. The look of this film, along with the soundtrack by M83, are the two main elements of the film that are receiving near unanimous praise, and deservedly so, in my opinion.
Other elements of the film have proven more divisive. While I'm all for unpredictability in narratives, and therefore I'm a pretty decent fan of the odd plot twist here and there, Oblivion has a lot of them- maybe too much, to the point where every-time a new big reveal was made I almost felt like rolling my eyes and saying "really, another one?" And I also have to mention that while the twists are for the most part fairly well-executed, and often unexpected, a number of them have been damn near ripped off from other science fiction films. Of course I can't say which twists they are, and where they've been borrowed from, as I'd rather not spoil any movie in this review, but at least a few of the twists have been seen in other pieces of science fiction, which honestly hurts the film as it makes the twists in Oblivion feel less exciting and surprising, because they're twists that some of us may have already witnessed in other, earlier works of science fiction.
Tom Cruise probably deserves a mention though- he gives a good performance and really does help carry the film. The supporting cast is good, but none of the other characters are given as much screen time as everybody's favourite scientologist. It's not a one-man show for Cruise by any means, but he is undoubtedly the film's star.
I've never been the hugest fan of Cruise, but I fully respect and understand why he is so immensely popular, and has been for so long. I tend to enjoy his performances, but I do think he often has a tendency to over-act and this makes his performances sometimes a little hard to take seriously (the yelling scene from Born on the Fourth of July anyone? Or how about his wheelchair fight with Willem Defoe from the same film?) Maybe this is why one of his most deliberately goofy performances of his career also happens to be one of my personal favourites of his- I'm talking about his small yet so very memorable role in Tropic Thunder.
And there's his infamous antics outside of his films that are so highly publicised and talked about that it makes Tom Cruise the actor hard to separate from Tom Cruise's characters- the man is so well-known and so frequently discussed that it makes it impossible to watch a Tom Cruise performance without being aware that you are indeed watching Tom Cruise.
But hey, he's still around, and he's still dedicating himself to most of the roles he takes, so he does deserve respect. And his reliability in Hollywood is undeniable- it's amazing that he has been such a reliable actor for so long considering how unstable celebrity gossip sites and tabloid papers will tell you he is.
Anyway, that's about all I want to say about Oblivion. I'm sorry I didn't really go into depth with this review, but it really is best to go into this film without knowing too much about it at all. It is a good film, but it's probably not going to stick with you like the best science fiction films often do. It's a good time at the movies though for sure, and if you just want to go and watch something visually spectacular, then this is the movie for you. The soundtrack, acting, and direction are all solid, and I really can't say I ever felt all that bored during it's 126 minute running time.
Still, it never achieves greatness. An over-reliance on twists, some that may prove familiar to some members of the audience, a forced and overly-long opening narration and some less than stellar character development harm this film in the narrative department, but it's definitely not a waste of time. I recommend Oblivion, but I'd advise audiences to enter the film with moderate expectations- a new science-fiction classic this is not.
3 and a half out of 5 stars, 7/10, B, etc...