Surprisingly well done

Rating: 9/10 (24 September 2017)

Surprisingly well done. Not an entirely original concept, but the story had enough unique features to still make it compelling and interesting.
I freely admit to being a bit skeptical going in with Tom Cruise as the lead role, but that was tempered by knowing that Olga Kurylenko would be there. OK, I could watch her in just about anything (and have seen almost every film she's ever been in), and was not disappointed.
This is a film where you will want to pay attention to details. Understanding who (and what) Tom Cruise's character is will become apparent as the film progresses, so am not going to recite the details of that plot thread here, but it does require a willingness to follow those details as they emerge. As for Olga, this may be her best performance yet. She has progressed remarkably since her early days in films like "the Assassin Next Door".
That's not to take anything away from Andrea Riseborough, who played the complex role of a highly intelligent woman, but one who is conflicted and confined by specific belief boundaries that had been programmed into her. Morgan Freeman, of course, fits his part exactly, as will become apparent later in the film.
No spoilers here, but I might offer that in the genre' of post apocalyptic, earth is in dire peril and who we are destined to be as a type of species plot formats, this one is a bit different.
There is considerably more to this production than just eye candy, though the CGI is quite well done. Unlike some films of a quasi similar genre', the CGI is beautifully done where relevant, but does not overpower the details of the plot threads as they emerge.
This is one of those rare examples where the balance between technically stunning visual content and pace of story actually fit remarkably well together. Kudos to Joseph Kosinski for maintaining that balance in this well crafted production.
A very solid 9 stars for this one.