Like many of you have probably been hearing, Edge of Tomorrow is a very pleasant surprise at the movies. I do not disagree, and will even say this is one of the more fun films Tom Cruise has starred in. He (Cruise) gets a lot of flack over what he invests time in off the big-screen, but if one focuses on his film career there’s no denying he’s been in a lot of damn good films. And judging by his performance in Edge of Tomorrow, he’s not planning on slowing down anytime soon.
That being said, I will not spoil the plot except to say the “Groundhog Day” element in the story is alive and well here. Cruise’s main character, essentially a PR man for the military named Cage, is ultimately caught up in a loop where everyday repeats itself while he’s forced into battle against an alien invasion. And yes, alien invasion sounds all too pedestrian and familiar, however, it’s the flow of this film that saves it from becoming a snooze-fest. What was particularly fun about Cruise’s role is he plays a guy who is an outright wuss in the beginning of the film. It was quite obvious he was having a great time playing a lead character that wasn’t some established hero. Later on, as Cage has to work hand in and with Emily Blunt’s character, Ruth, to save the world, some crafty editing and story beats help to keep the pace fresh, and make it so you don’t feel like you’re watching the same version of yesterday all over again. There’s even a hint of romance that is as subtle as you’ll find in a big action/sci-fi film like this that thankfully never undercuts the energy of this film throughout. The rest of the supporting characters do a fine job, especially Bill Paxton, playing Master Sargeant Farell, that has some very witty lines early on in the movie.
As far as the rest, the special effects are top notch. Although I’m going to recommend to anyone that you may want to save a few bucks and see this in 2D versus 3D. I was not impressed at all with the 3D format here, and it’s no coincidence this was one of those films that didn’t get the 3D element added until post-production. Unlike the special effects being superb, I felt like the soundtrack was quite forgettable and non-existent. I’m seeing this more and more lately that it’s a rare thing to see a big budget blockbuster which has a kick-ass score to it, and unfortunately you’ll barely notice the music in Edge of Tomorrow. (Except for the end-credits tune)
What makes this type of film work over previous films that have dealt with aliens taking over the planet (Battle:LA is still a turd of the genre) is you’re at least somewhat invested in the main characters. Cruise and Blunt deliver believable performances, and it adds in a very human element to a movie where that could have easily been lost amidst all the explosions, and vivid action sequences on the screen. Beyond that, there’s really not much else to say about this picture except that I’m not sure this film has a great deal of replay value to it. That doesn’t mean it’s a knock against the film, but once I walked out of the theater I’d felt I’d seen all I needed to see the first time.
Judging by the not so great box office receipts thus far, I’m guessing this will end up being the best reviewed summer film of 2014 that may not even earn back its production budget. That’s a shame as this really is a rock-solid film, with a good balance of humor, and excitement to keep the viewer interested from beginning to end. Thanks for reading! Nuff said.
Final rating: B+
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