Great visuals, but let down by lack of emotion

Rating: 7/10 (12 April 2013)

First of all, I would like to congratulate Joseph Kosinski for depicting lovely shots of Iceland with added effects. The landscape is epic, and the stark contrast between the slick, clean Tom Cruise and the barren wasteland is beautiful. Unfortunately, the rest of the film lacks the emotion that the scenery deserved. The lifeless and rather lacklustre performance of Andrea Riseborough as Victoria took away from the film somewhat, and Cruise as Jack Harper seemed like a paycheck for Cruise and nothing more. Morgan Freeman as the leader of the resistance was the shining star of the film, as he usually does, however he was sorely underused, adding a sense of enjoyment to the whole movie for the brief time he was in it. Olga Kurylenko as Julia also was a high point, and possibly the only serious emotional character in the film. The picture could also have explored the mythos of the apocalypse a lot more. Overall I would give the film a 7/10, as the film has a striking visual style that is let down by emotionless performances, a very interesting potential idea but a lack of closure, and under utilisation of possibly fascinating characters. Watch it if you enjoy great visuals, and don't mind a less than substantive plot.