Visually appealing, but slow and unoriginal

Rating: 6/10 (14 April 2013)

Unlike some other reviewers, I'm not of the opinion that this movie has major flaws in its logic. However, the simple and thoroughly unoriginal story is told in a long-winded, very slow manner and the acting is rather bland. The majority of the landscape we see in "Oblivion" is in Iceland (and it's worth seeing in its cragged, somber beauty), so if you recognize it, it might be irritating that it is supposed to represent devastated New York. Technically it's an impressive work. The footage of Icelandic landscape with its natural gorges is blended seamlessly into CGI ruins and cityscape crevasses, and the clean, smooth "2001"-ish structures of the repairmen's bases are a feast for the eyes. But as the technical merits of "Oblivion" alone can't create a satisfying cinema experience, we're left with another pretty standard, slightly dull though good-looking sci-fi action flick.