An under-appreciated sci-fi gem

Rating: 8/10 (18 June 2019)

Do not be fooled by the premise of Tom Cruise in a futuristic post-apocalypse world: Oblivion is a sci-fi film of genuine quality and visual prowess, succeeding where a dearth of productions have tried (and failed) before. Oblivion does not require constant fight scenes and dramatic set pieces to hold the attention of the viewer, but instead delicately constructs an interesting story around the obscure history of conflict that has destroyed Earth. Jack (Cruise) and Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) are two of the few survivors, veterans tasked with extracting the last of Earth's resources to power the remnants of humanity; however, they must also tackle the alien presence still lingering on the ground, who are intent on disrupting their efforts. When an unidentified ship crashes back on Earth without warning, the two are sent into a spiral of confusion around who can be trusted - and whether their memories have stood the test of time.
Oblivion's mastery comes through their development of each character's loneliness: Jack and Victoria's only other human contact is a satellite link to their mothership off-world, amplifying the lack of empathy their job entails. The explorer of the two, Jack, has a hidden retreat in one of the safe zones on Earth (unbeknownst to Victoria); this example of the lack of complete transparency shows the seeds of doubt in both of the humans - fated to be able to trust nobody else, but still sceptical of every decision. Jack is also haunted by memories from before Earth's demise, constantly lingering but hidden from his partner. Director Joseph Kosinski's vision of a depleted Earth is hauntingly beautiful, a stark expanse awash with greys and blues, devoid of life. In direct contrast, the crew's machinery is precise and clean, bright white droids tasked with eliminating anything not perceived as human.
Without giving too much away, the storyline's ability to open up and challenge the audience makes Oblivion a more rewarding film than it's given credit for; Cruise acts well throughout, exhibiting more empathy than he's known for showing. The score from French electronic outfit M83 is the ideal accompaniment for the mysterious nature of the wasteland, and does a fantastic job of building each scene without using music typical of the sci-fi genre. Oblivion will surprise those who wouldn't normally consider this their style of film, but is more than just a run-of-the-mill futuristic thriller.