Draws from almost every other sci-fi movie out there, adds very little

Rating: 5/10 (18 April 2013)

This movie is visually amazing, no question. I have to give top marks to everyone that put this film together, they did a great job on presentation. Too long in some ways, but visually great. Acting was all of good quality. Plus, I had just been to Iceland the year before, and recognized the scenes, it really captures the stark beauty of that place.
About halfway into the movies, I started to get a strangely uncomfortable feeling that I was watching some other movie, everything seemed to have come from somewhere else. Scene after scene had that eerie deja vu quality to it, that made me think of another movie. I guess not much is truly original any more, but this really seemed to borrow just a bit too much, without adding much of its own.
I was OK with that sensation until we got to the end. It's as if the writers just gave up, and having gone so far on borrowed plot bits, suddenly realized they had no good ending to support this huge $120M effort, and tossed in a final few sequences that are illogical, and deeply disappointing. I felt truly insulted by the ending, it simply is poorly executed, and was quite abusive of the patience and attention of the audience. It really brought home the critical value of good writing, and how its lack can undo the efforts of so many others in a film. this film could have been a 10, but really missed that mark thanks to the last 10 minutes.
My advice is to leave 10 minutes before the end, that way you will leave with a good feeling about the film, and not have to put up with the finish, which will only disappoint you, especially on later reflection.