Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
7:49 AM
Live. Die. Repeat.
Edge of Tomorrow is directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr & Mrs Smith) and stars Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible, Jack Reacher) and Emily Blunt (Sicario, Into the Woods). "A military officer is brought into an alien war against an extraterrestrial enemy who can reset the day and know the future. When this officer is enabled with the same power, he teams up with a Special Forces warrior to try and end the war". Is Edge of Tomorrow just a sci-fi rip off of Groundhog Day? Or is it refreshingly original?
Wow...what a brilliant film this was. For some reason, it has taken me almost 2 years to watch Edge of Tomorrow - It didn't appeal to me when it was at the cinemas in 2014 but now I wish I had seen it on the big screen. Edge of Tomorrow is the definition of a well made, sophisticated, modern blockbuster - I honestly can't fault it - from the performances to the concept to the action - this is a remarkable film. I liked it that much I would say it is one of my favourite films now.
This has to be one of the rare original sci-fi films that actually works - I know it is loosely based on a book but when we have sequels, spin offs and remakes left, right and centre, any new story is worth a shot. However, films like Jupiter Ascending, Chappie and Tomorrowland haven't quite lived up to those sequels, spin offs and remakes. And then comes Edge of Tomorrow, a fantastic, entertaining sci-fi adventure that is fun and energetic throughout. The concept could easily be called a rip off of Groundhog Day but I think it adds a new spin to that idea and the reasoning for why Cruise's character is reliving the same day over and over again is interesting and well executed. I liked how the story was still able to move at a good pace despite the day restarting all the time - the film doesn't treat its audience like children, it knows that they can assume different things so when Cruise has got to a point in the day we haven't seen him get to before but refers to the day like he has been there before - we didn't need to see him at that point 100 times, we can just assume he has tried and failed. Lazy scripts would have showed us all of his attempts as a way to fill time but not Edge of Tomorrow. I actually thought the monsters they were fighting were also quite impressive - usually in films like this a hype is built around a big alien race and then you see them and feel underwhelmed but once again, not Edge of Tomorrow. The story is just fantastic and it is one I could watch over and over again.
The visual effects were also brilliant - I'm pretty sure a lot of the effects were done practically which makes them even more impressive. This film could have easily been another Transformers but the filmmakers were able to blend the visuals and story very well. The effects weren't too obvious either - it's not like they were on a whole new planet, the effects were incorporated into real life situations.
The acting was another outstanding factor in this film. Tom Cruise proves once again why he is one of the top action actors working today - he is just so good at it. Even though many of Cruise's characters are very similar - he manages to make them all likeable and have something slightly different about them. However, I was incredibly impressed with Emily Blunt who is fantastic in this film - I haven't seen a bad performance from her ever. I believe Blunt is one of the most talented actresses working today - she is exceptional. I thought she showcased a new side of her acting abilities in this film - blockbuster action. Blunt is cleverly developing a perfect portfolio - she has musical (Into the Woods), action (Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario), villain (The Huntsman: Winter's War), animation (Gnomeo and Juliet)..I could go on - she is fantastic! I really liked both of Cruise and Blunt's characters - they were really likely and at first I thought Blunt's character was going to be a Mary-Sue kind of character but she definitely wasn't. I also want to quickly comment on how it was great to see another film showing men and women working together - recent films are either led by a male character OR a female character - not really both.
Edge of Tomorrow is an outstanding film - the action is brilliant, the effects are strong, the story is refreshing and entertaining and the acting is exceptional. Blunt and Cruise are fan favourites and this film really emphasises why - they show great chemistry and both put on amazing performances. If you haven't seen Edge of Tomorrow yet and have been put off by that poor marketing campaign, believe me, go and watch it because you will want to Watch, Talk about it, Repeat - Absolutely Brilliant.
5 STARS
A+
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