Channels the best of sci-fi

Rating: 8/10 (2 May 2013)

In a world where sycophants and yuppies demand to see something new every tenth of a second it's good to see that great stories can still be told. Oblivion channels the best of sci-fi to ask the most basic questions - Who am I, Why am I here and What is it to be Human? The basic run down is simple, Jack is a drone repairman. The drones are AI controlled robot sentinels guarding the extraction of the last of the earth resources. Jack's work is vital, the last of humanity is relying on those resources for it's very survival. The 'Scavs' on the other hand will do anything to sabotage this important work.
Good sci-fi should examine the human condition, the cool technology and flashy effects merely a vehicle to explore not space but ourselves. This vehicle is used expertly here. Jack has a good life. He thinks everything is as it should be, but as he learns more he begins to doubt what he knows to be the truth. He is forced to ask the questions that need to be asked. This leads to a discovery that will change everything.
It is not perfect though. There are two big issues - 1. Emotional engagement and 2. Story flow. The character development is not as strong as it could be over the course of the movie, as such The audience is not given enough reason to care deeply about the characters. The characters just feel a little static, not really developing much throughout. This may be because of the story's development - it went from prelim treatment to (as yet unpublished) graphic novel to movie in just a few short years. The story seems to suffer a bit from the same issue. For example there is one point where a vital piece of information is revealed to Jack and he seems just a little too willing to accept it, where as other things he seems to reject outright until literally bashed over the head with them. This turns out to be a pivotal moment but it seemed a little rushed where other sections of lesser import got more time and treatment. Again this is probably down to the short development time frame.
This is a fantastic movie overall and I would recommend it to anyone.