Surprisingly decent scifi film

Rating: Null/10 (3 June 2015)

I didn't go into Oblivion with high hopes. Granted I had already seen Edge of Tomorrow, which was decent Tom Cruise film, but then again I had also seen War of the Worlds, which was awful. But, Oblivion managed to surprise me. Not only was Tom Cruise well-suited for the role as a lone technician, looking for meaning in an abandoned world, but the whole film was beautifully designed, the story was interesting if a bit clichéd, and as a whole I was entertained from start to finish.
The best part of the movie is how it looks. The whole abandoned Earth and the giant machines that scourge its surface to fund humanity's reach for the stars look majestic and the white, sleek designs of the few stations left are beautiful to look at. It has that 00s iPod design vibe to it, but in this film it fits, because the whole landscape supports it with it bleakness.
Furthermore, Andrea Riseborough and Tom Cruise have good chemistry together as the two technicians tasked to look after the machines, and while I do think Morgan Freeman was criminally underutilized, it's always a joy to see him any film.
The story is a bit clichéd, as I already said, and the end is a bit preachy, going over the same ground every single one of these movies does, but it's told well with good action, well-timed twists and good pacing in general. Enough time is given for the simple appreciation of how the film looks, the dialogues flow smoothly and the only real thing missing is that spark of originality that would have made this a great film instead of "merely" good.
Oblivion is well worth a watch if you're looking for a decent scifi film with excellent, innovative set designs and a plot that will keep you interested.