Kosinski Too Talented for Technophobic Clichés

Rating: 7/10 (23 April 2013)

I have mixed feelings about Oblivion, but I'd recommend a watch nonetheless.
First, the cinematography is one of the most beautiful I've seen, perhaps the best one to date in science-fiction. It is certainly on par with Tron: Legacy, if not more spectacular even. Just for that, Oblivion is worth the entry cost. And I don't regret watching the film if it helps Kosinski to keep doing this sort of awesome visual work.
On the other hand, I have some issues with the plot. At some point in the film, I thought we would get a very nice metaphysical reflection. But unfortunately, the story falls into the common traps of uninspired sci-fi writers, like technophobia. The many plot twists also tend to blur the philosophical content. The screenwriters want to tell too much and seem to lose their focus along the way.
Tom Cruise deserves credit for his excellent performance in the leading role. Andrea Riseborough is very good, too. The rest of the cast is either less convincing, or underexploited.
Oblivion is a good entertainment, and certainly worth watching, but I'm sure Kosinski could do even better next time.