Movie Review: Oblivion (2013)
Written by Anthony Sargon
It's always sad to see a movie not live up to its potential. "Oblivion" has so much working in its favor that you'd expect it to at least be an enjoyable ride, but "Tron: Legacy" director Joe Kosinski once again sucks the fun out of the proceedings in favor of pretty visuals and a trippy soundtrack. This is especially disappointing when you factor in Tom Cruise's solid performance.
The events take place in the year 2077, sixty years after a tragic alien attack destroyed most of the moon, which led to devastating effects on Earth. Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is a technician stationed on Earth to mine whatever's left of its resources, and he and his partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) are among the last remaining humans on the planet. Everyone else has migrated to a giant space station known as the Tet, with a small colony established on Titan. Things get a little complicated when a vessel containing a number of bodies in cryosleep crashes on Earth. Jack rescues a woman from the wreckage called Julia (Olga Kurylenko), and she reveals that things aren't what they seem.
There are a certain "twists" and "surprises" along the way so this is as detailed as the plot description will get, but the movie's story isn't all that enthralling. Kosinski based the movie off of his unpublished graphic novel of the same name, and it's clear from the get-go that the film is just an adolescent and self-endulgent endeavor that was made because Kosinski has the right connections to get such a project off the ground. The film borrows heavily from other, better sci-fi movies ("Moon" in particular), and it pales in comparison in almost every aspect.
The acting is all over the place. A number of scenes elicited some unintentional laughter, and it's safe to announce that Olga Kurylenko is probably one of the worst actresses working today. Her dialogue delivery is painful to watch, and some of her facial expressions are just flat-out awful. Tom Cruise is actually likable in the movie, so it's disappointing that no one other than the ever-reliable Morgan Freeman can actually act.
The only two things that work in "Oblivion", much like in "Tron: Legacy", are the visuals and the soundtrack. Kosinski definitely has a knack for building some beautiful worlds with striking imagery, and he knows how to accompany that with a thrilling soundtrack.
Anthony's Verdict:
While it looks and sounds like a million bucks, "Oblivion" fails to be anything more than passable entertainment. Some people might think that's enough, but when you consider some of the talent involved with the project and its budget, it needs to be way better than just OK. Derivative, superficial, and often dull, "Oblivion" is a forgettable sci-fi flick that'll leave you feeling disappointed.
Numerical Score: 5.5/10
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