Oblivion Reviews

"Oblivion" is a beautiful movie, and it's always good to see an original sci-fi film now and then. Unfortunately, its style only take this post-apocalyptic journey so far. The film is hamstrung by characters that are as gray and barren as the desolate landscapes they traverse, and the science fiction tropes pile up to create a congested second half full of cliches and forced twists seen in other, better sci-fi films. The actors may be talented, but the script gives them very little to work with (especially the exceptionally wasted Morgan Freeman). While you may not find much to care about in the story, its still a fun ride.

The special effects are well-done, especially when it comes to the mechanical elements like the intimidating drones, which move with both a weightiness and agility that combines to form something you would definitely not want to meet in a dark alley, and Tom Cruise's ship is a really imaginative piece of futuristic technology as well. M83's score is a mixed bag. Choosing this band for this movie is the absolute perfect choice, as they have that epic, desolate futuristic-yet-retro feel to them to begin with. Unfortunately, the score they have composed rarely sounds like their 'actual' music as much as it does an imitation of contemporary blockbuster scores. Had they gone their own route (or used some tracks from their discography), they could have came up with something that really made 'Oblivion' stand out from the pack. This is just an example of the larger problem with 'Oblivion': it isn't a bad movie, but in every instance where it has a chance to be a pioneer and do something fresh, it falls back on the crutches of the past, and ends up feeling rather generic as a result.

Even though it looks great, "Oblivion" is dull, predictable and basically "WALL-E" without the heart.

Damn good popcorn movie.

Repetitious, confusing and mainly unfocused, Oblivion is a misconceived hodgepodge of clichés and contrivances from the first scene to the last. The result couldn't be stodgier and more predictable than what we see here.

I'm a sucker for sleek scifi action movies and based off of the trailers Oblivion reeled me in. But was it worth it? For me, it was a mixed bag. Oblivion is one of those movies that never really becomes its own beast. It's a hodgepodge of science fiction tropes, but these cliched plot points still keep the movie interesting. It's very slow in parts, but the visuals are great to look at and they keep your eyes on the screen (which is a good thing). I did enjoy Tom Cruise's performance and I always like seeing Morgan Freeman show up in movies. Overall- It's forgettable and has an overdone story but it's still worth the admission price.

I think the biggest flaw with Oblivion started with the fact that it's suspense/mystery married to a painfully predictable plot. So for about 2/3 of the movie the audience is waiting for characters to move through all their motions of "development" while squirming in anxiety.

But frankly, I really enjoyed the last few closing acts before the film ended. There were a lot of key moments that really stood out, filling my love for Sci Fi themes. (Discovering he's a clone and dealing with it, Jack not telling the 2nd Victoria the truth, Jack bringing Malcom rather than Julia etc.)

A lot of critics argue a lack of emotion or that characters are forgotten as soon as the "action" rolls in but that may be because all the players seem like characters in a Victorian play and never really "alive" in the first place.

Finally, let's not forget the top notch visuals. The Scifi concept art team behind this movie did a really wonderful job with the overall designs and as an artist myself, I can't help but appreciate it all.

It's definitely no Minority Report and it's rare for a movie to start off horrible and then get better (as opposed to having a strong start and progressively get worse) but if you love Sci Fi I think it's a pretty enjoyable experience that uses it's tropes effectively more so than falling victim to them.

Joseph Kosinski's sci-fi adventure, Oblivion, keeps the story going.The screen time is roughly 2 hours and it does feel that long. This is due to the pacing of the story which never rushes itself, yet never seems to come to a crawl. There is a high sense of mystery and intrigue as plot details are unveiled at opportune times, all the while leaving the good stuff for last.The set designs and effects are rock solid, which works in this film's favor given the low quantity of characters to follow. The action sequences are well planned and executed nicely.Tom Cruise knows how to carry a film, so there is no problem here. Andrea Riseborough and Olga Kurylenko provide good supporting roles. Drone 166 delivers as a non-human character.Oblivion is a well-rounded sci-fi adventure. Highly recommended.

Overall it was halfway decent. I honestly saw most of the plot twists coming, but the visuals and tech made up for it. I would recommend seeing it as a matinee or catching it in the 2nd run theaters

As a pure audio-visual expericene Oblivion may deliver the goods but otherwise this second feature from fresh director Joseph Kosinki is equally hollow as his debut film TRON: Legacy. What bothered me the most with Oblivion was the fact that it does not actually have almost any originality left in it. Kosinki borrows too heavily from other much better sci-fi films like Moon and Sunshine.

It is hard to create anything truly original these days and it is ok to borrow some elements to your films, but the way Kosinki uses Moon's ideas is just cheap and arrogant. It is like he thought that no one saw that great film all. Moon may not be even remotely as massive or popular as a film but it still light years more clever and better nuanced than Oblivion can even dream of. I am not saying that Kosinki does not have talent. The way he handles the action scenes is quite impressive and he seems to know how to put on a great show when it comes to effects and visuals. But there lies the major problem of this filmmaker. He is one of those artists who is much more interested of the surface than the emotions. He clearly tries get a emotional impact from his audience but there is not a moment in this film where he could actually make us care these cold and distant characters.

What Oblivion is missing is mostly a heart. As i said it is wonderful film to look at and Claudio Miranda's camerawork is often impressive. Still, to be honest good visuals and camerawork does not make a good film and hopefully next time when Kosinki makes a film he also remembers to create characters that we actually care for. Oblivion is a awfully polished and hollow piece of science fiction that is lacking a soul.

"Obvlivion" is a sci-fi movie that takes things from other movies and shoots for something original. Tom Cruise stars as Jack a security repairman who works with a partner to help extract water from Earth and send to Titan. Titan is a planet that all the people of Earth have migrated to since Aliens came to Earth and fought a war leaving everything radioactive and inhabitable. Saying more than that would be a disservice to anyone who hasn't seen it since there are several twists and plot turns. The movie drags, especially in the middle, but overall it stays fresh and entertaining. Cruise is good, and the rest of the cast does good also. Would like to have seen more of Morgan Freeman, but actually I can see there being a prequel involving his character. If you like Sci-Fi movies, then you should give this an honest shot, it'll be right up your alley and a good way to wet your appetite for the new "Star Trek" movie. Otherwise, you should probably stay away, because this probably won't be for you.

Joseph Kosinski's (of TRON: Legacy fame) homage to 70s sci-fi could just as well have been a 90s The Outer Limits episode in big-budget movie form. A very beautifully filmed piece of sci-fi even though the plot is obvious and unoriginal. This is like Top Gun, a simple movie where you can just switch off your brain and enjoy the ride. In fact, it really does pay to suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself in this atmospheric fantasy.

'Oblivion' is a gorgeously filmed, smorgasbord of past sci-fi flicks. M83's score complements the action extremely well, and although the plot has familiar elements, it's still a generally engaging film. Tom Cruise and company give acceptable performances, but no one performance jumps off the screen. Ultimately, 'Oblivion' is a good watch for sci-fi fans who don't mind rehashing familiar plot devices with new faces. Grade: C+

The name of the work all but predicts its destination in the mind of viewers, so derivative are the plot elements, but it is saved (or at least suspended temporarily) by the charisma of its lead, natch, and good production values. At least you won't feel cheated. Much.

It's late in the twenty-first century, decades after humanity battled an alien species in a war for the planet, and while humanity won the war Earth is desolate. The moon destroyed. The remaining members of humanity live on a starship around Saturn's moon, Titan, and the oceans of Earth provide the energy resource. Jack (Tom Cruise) and Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) are the team stationed with repairing drones, the flying machines that protect the energy plants. There are still pockets of alien scavengers that need to be dealt with. Jack and Victoria make a great team, and dip into romantic companionship, until Jack meets a mysterious woman (Olga Kurylenko) professing to be his wife. Jack begins to doubt the purpose of his mission and wonder if the alien scavengers are the enemy.

If you've been keeping up with sci-fi cinema in the last couple decades, you'll likely recognize more than a few elements with Oblivion. From its themes to its plot points to its revelations, there's little here to designate as original. So the real question remains how derivative can we take? I think when the execution is nimble then it's one of the easiest sins to remember. Especially in the realm of sci-fi cinema, it's hard to put together a new story, let alone one set up as a Hollywood star vehicle, without borrowing from other established movies. This in itself is not an issue. Tarantino is a master borrower but he always recontextualizes his artistic influences into something new and different, and while we critics lament his less original career path of late, the man's box-office profits have never been better in his career. I think when we feel like we're getting a good story we don't care when that story has been told before in other manners. Star Wars, after all, has many cultural fathers, but it was a rollicking good time with characters we cared about, so nobody seemed to mind. Likewise, Oblivion has many forbearers from Independence Day to I Am Legend to 2001 to an indie film from a few years ago I shall refrain from mentioning because even the very mention will spoil key plot points. Some will decry the film as a rip-off of superior, headier fare, but I never minded. I was having too good of a time and found the movie too satisfying to quibble.

I won't say the movie is smart per se but it's far more measured than I would have expected. The advertising makes it look like Cruise fights a bunch of aliens and robots, and while there is that aspect, it's almost an afterthought to a slow-burning mystery that patiently parcels out its revelations, even to the very end of the film. I'm trying to be cagey about certain plot points to avoid spoilers. It's a film that has more on its mind than explosions, but when it goes into explosion mode, director Joseph Kosinski (TRON: Legacy) makes it count. The larger action elements are well staged and polished with some above average special effects. The sight of the moon dashed across the sky is definitely an evocative image. I love the overall look of the film, Kosinki's clean, spare, bubbly Apple-esque aesthetics. The drones themselves manage to have personality even with a limited, streamlined design and some choice sound design. The man knows how to hold onto an image and when to keep pushing. The action is suitably thrilling and the drama suitably suspenseful. Actually, better than suitably. I enjoyed the details of this world. It's probably the spiffiest post-apocalyptic landscape you'll ever see. This is an entertaining movie that finds nice ways to satisfy, and given the particulars of its sci-fi plot, finds a way to have its cake and eat it too. As a result, Oblivion is a sci-fi flick that offers enough to engage the mind and audience demands for big effects and big thrills.

I've never been a Cruise hater. I even thought the man tried his damndest to make a movie like Rock of Ages worth watching (a valiant effort but not enough). His character is pretty affable at first and we get to watch as everything he knows comes undone. It's a role that would lead to overacting, but Cruise underplays the part, more alarmed naïf than flinty action hero. I'm not expecting Oscar-caliber performances in every role but Cruise does a fine job of anchoring the audience and selling his character's journey. He also has good chemistry with not one but two ladies. Kurylenko (Seven Psychopaths, To the Wonder) is an actress of great beauty and questionable talent, but perhaps being paired up with a genuine star like Cruise brings out the best in her. They're good together, though my preference was for Riseborough (W.E., Never Let Me Go), an actress who brings a tremulous vulnerability to an otherwise underwritten and confused character that's more a plot device. Riseborough makes the character so much more than she is on the page. She's still a relatively new actress so I look forward to her future performances. There are other familiar faces, like Morgan Freeman and an especially unsettling Melissa Leo, but it's really a three-person acting exercise.

Oblivion is a visually alluring sci-fi thriller that also manages to have enough heart and smarts to leave a satisfying impression. The pacing is more deliberate but offers plenty rewards, doling out revelations up until the end, unpacking its mystery with finesse. The first twenty minutes or so, establishing the particulars of this world and the routine of our protagonists, is downright exceptional. The rest of the film doesn't quite live up to that start but it continues to be an engaging and entertaining movie with some top-notch visuals. The musical score by electronic band M83 also provides a stirring counterpoint to the glossy, clean visuals (the band's song "Outro" was also very effectively used in that lovely five-minute trailer for Cloud Atlas). You may figure things out as you watch, but you won't mind, at least I didn't. The more I step away the more I think back with renewed enthusiasm for the film. It's smarter, slicker, and just a more satisfying film than we're accustomed to with this kind of budget and from Hollywood.

Nate's Grade: B

many of the visuals in this film were stunning. this is not only in regard to the effects, but the lighting and cinematography were also very good. the story was a bit empty at points, and the third act contained some questionable plot developments and glaring logical inconsistencies, but the film was patient, entertaining, and interesting.

Beautiful movie, great message. We are humans, not machines, Earth is the best. A pretty good movie that's better than most of the other sci-fi films from the past two years. Just pretty good, though. There were also problems with it, though. The first half of it is very slow paced. A lot of those scenes could have been shortened or taken out completely, I was starting to think nothing would ever happen and I'd fall asleep. The ending was mostly what bothered me, but I don't want to give it away.

'Oblivion' is ambitious, but is so to a fault. Though strewn with some solid entertainment and awesome visuals, the movie suffers from a plot (and plot twist) that doesn't feel entirely original and an awkward pace that doesn't entirely engage its audience.

If a world where Star Wars, Independence Day, Total Recall, War of the Worlds, Predator, Moon, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Serenity, Tron, Blade Runner, Minority Report, Wall-E, and The Matrix didn't exist, Oblivion would be hands down the greatest sci-fi movie of all time. Literally every sci-fi trope can be found in writer/director Joseph Kosinski's narrative, including the kitchen sink.
Normally this would work against my enjoyment of the film, since Oblivion doesn't have an original thought in its head. Strangely enough, it's not always about the story being told; it's how it's being told and in this respect, Oblivion still feels fresh and unique. The visuals are absolutely stunning, the story is fascinating, the soundtrack is awesome, and every performer is at the top of his or her game. Cinema history may not recognize Oblivion as an example of great sci-fi, but just as some people defend James Cameron's Avatar to no end, I submit that Oblivion is damn fine entertainment, a much more satisfying experience than I expected it to be.

Earth is a memory worth fighting for.

Excellent Film!. Here's a fine example of a film that may have an inconsistent and a familiar screenplay, but still makes up for an exciting watch due to its director Joseph Kosinski's extra-ordinary sense of creating spectacles that feel like breathing artworks. Tom Cruise plays Tom Cruise but that's not a bad thing in this case, in fact his natural charisma carries the movie through some of its slower sections. Morgan Freeman plays Morgan Freeman though he's really not on screen for long enough to influence the movie one way or another. Olga Kurylenko's statuesque profile is unfortunately not matched by her acting ability and I often found it difficult to believe in her character's actions and emotions. Andrea Riseborough turns in maybe the best performance, convincing as the sad and confused Victoria, unwilling - or perhaps unable - to confront the disturbing truth. Overall, I would definitely recommend going to see this movie in the cinema, on the biggest screen that you can find. It just won't be the same on TV. The visual appeal alone is reason enough, but combined with a clever script, a thumping soundtrack and some exciting action, you should be entertained.

One of the few remaining drone repairmen assigned to Earth, its surface devastated after decades of war with the alien Scavs, discovers a crashed spacecraft with contents that bring into question everything he believed about the war, and may even put the fate of mankind in his hands.