Oblivion - Promising Beginning But Fizzles

POSTED BY: SHINYGOODGUY
UPDATED: Saturday, April 27, 2013 04:13
VIEWED: 4819
PAGE 1 of 2

1 2 NEXT PAGE

SHINYGOODGUY

Monday, April 22, 2013 7:20 PM

Tom Cruise is usually bank when it comes to Blockbuster Movies, and by the weekend Box Office numbers it appears that is still the case.

I tried to stay away from any reviews until I saw the film first, and I still haven't read any, but my initial reaction was good 1st Act with promising sci-fi undertones, ultimately though it lacked punch at the end.

There were some thrilling heroics and action sequences, but the sci-fi portion sputtered to an anti-climatic ending. Somehow the reveal/plot twist at the end didn't manage to wow me. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't predictable, the idea was a good one, but the execution was somewhat blasé.
Everything in this film was shot beautifully, the FX was on point and the dialogue and story moved at a good pace. Most of the reveals unfolded methodically and naturally as the film progressed, but I couldn't help but feel that more could've been done with the script.

It was entertaining, Cruise displayed his usual charm and even managed to get a few intentional laughs - he's good for that. The action sequences were well done, but when it came to an emotional connection with the female lead, well there was little chemistry. In that regard Cruise failed to make us care about the pairing. This could have easily been a 4 Star movie, but I give it a 3 for the action, concept, the FX and overall pace, plus Morgan Freeman (who could read a cereal box and make it sound interesting).

Special Mention should go to Melissa Leo (effectively creepy and ominous as Sally) and Andrea Riseborough as Victoria. IMHO both she and Olga Kurylenko (Julia) should have switched roles. You'll see why when you see the film.

"Are we an effective team?"

SGG

BOOKONBOARDSYSTEMCOM

Monday, April 22, 2013 8:32 PM

I enjoyed it. Not perfect but one of the better Sci-Fi movies I have seen in some time.
The story didn't stop to spell out everything that was happening, which I appreciate.
If you go into it thinking your going to an action movie, you will be disappointed.
It's an interesting story set in the future with some action. This sort of reminded me of Gattaca which is one of my favorite Sci-fi movies and has little to no action at all, but is an interesting story.

POUNDPUPPY29

Monday, April 22, 2013 9:10 PM

I saw it I liked it I thought it was interesting but my friend didn't like the clone part it lost her there

My Favorite SciFi/Fantasy T.V. Shows, Movies & Franchises & My Fav Ships & My Fav Characters, My Sports Teams & My Favorite Sitcom

ECGORDON

Monday, April 22, 2013 10:47 PM

Saw it. Didn't like it. Reviewed it - http://templetongate.net/oblivion.htm

It had the perfect title at least, because that's where I want the memory of it to go.

TWO

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 12:55 AM

Oblivion gave off the stink of plot contrivance in the very first minute when Tom Cruise said his memory had been erased so he can work. "I'm dreaming, but it feels like a memory." In my group we all knew that would be the major plot twist at end. We're suppose to wait patiently, eating popcorn, to find out what 50 year old Cruise can't remember about the alien invasion that happened 60 years before.

Memory wipe? Of a tragedy that happened 10 years before he was born? Is that really necessary? It turns out it was not worth the two hour wait. Give me back my money, Cruise.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

JONGSSTRAW

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 5:06 AM

"Promising Beginning But Fizzles"

Good description of his career and his three marriages.

TWO

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 4:17 PM

Cruise had a better recent movie -- Jack Reacher. Jack Reacher discovering why 5 people were killed was better than Jack Harper discovering why his memories of alien invasion were erased. And why is Cruise Jack in two movies in a row? Is there so few ideas in Hollywood that everything is made of recycled waste?

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

ECGORDON

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 5:20 PM

Here are some select quotes from reviews taken from RottenTomatoes.com:

"A slow-moving behemoth of a film that has been art-directed into a coma."

"This is the sci-fi movie equivalent of a pretty damn good cover band."

"Cruise has more chemistry with drones than with his two love interests."

"A boldly rendered film with faulty nuts, bolts and wiring is still, at its core, a movie that doesn't work. Witness Oblivion."

"Which brings us to "Oblivion's" biggest drawback; its lack of originality. The movie borrows from so many sources that you can spend the entire 125 minutes playing 'Name That Movie'."

"Oblivion would have been better titled Thelma & Louise because, like the characters in that 1991 drama, it drives itself over a cliff."

SHINYGOODGUY

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 6:08 PM

Yeah, I agree, I hated that part. It left nothing to the imagination, which is what sci-fi is about, it suggests. It's like an impressionist painting, it gives you subtle clues and gentle nudges, it doesn't slap you with a hammer. Good sci-fi leaves bread crumbs, not the bread truck. Enough already, you know what I'm saying.

A lot was given away also by the mass marketing in the trailers. We knew that somehow he was going to meet up with Morgan Freeman's character, but that's minor compared to the overall storyline.

I read a review yesterday and it said that the film was co-written, produced and directed by Joseph Kosinski and based on his unpublished graphic novel of the same name edited by Radical Comics. He of Tron Legacy fame, yes that guy. Like Tron: L, it had great visuals and FX but little in the way of story, especially the swiss cheese screenplay. The premise, like I said, was promising but poorly constructed and poorly told.

The Melissa Leo character Sally was one of the best things going for the film, now she was ominous and foreboding. Whenever Victoria would talk with her it felt much like a scene from the Twilight Zone. She was effectively creepy, pity she had little screen time. Now that's sci-fi at it's best - you show one thing but there's something behind it and I felt it was a clue of some sort. "Are we an effective team" sooo good!

And your right about the anti-climatic ending. Oh, I take back what I said about it not being predictable. I just remembered the scene at the Empire State tower - I saw that reveal coming a mile away. Actually, got that from the trailer - "who are you?" - it was obvious then. Mr. Kosinski should stick to directing the visuals and FX and leave the writing to professionals. I also wasn't surprised by the ending I saw it coming several scenes prior when he stoically declared it. I much prefer Minority Report over this.

SGG

Quote:
Originally posted by two:
Oblivion gave off the stink of plot contrivance in the very first minute when Tom Cruise said his memory had been erased so he can work. "I'm dreaming, but it feels like a memory." In my group we all knew that would be the major plot twist at end. We're suppose to wait patiently, eating popcorn, to find out what 50 year old Cruise can't remember about the alien invasion that happened 60 years before.

Memory wipe? Of a tragedy that happened 10 years before he was born? Is that really necessary? It turns out it was not worth the two hour wait. Give me back my money, Cruise.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

SHINYGOODGUY

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 6:30 PM

Damn, some of these quotes are downright mean. For me the problem wasn't so much the pacing, I thought it moved well, better than Tron Legacy anyway. The problem was it couldn't make up it's mind - Am I an action or thinking man's sci-fi film.

Like Prometheus before it, it looked good, but little in the way of story. In the hands of better writers, who knows. The overall premise or concept was good, but the delivery and execution was lacking. By the way, I liked the chemistry between Jack and Victoria better than with Julia, of course, that's not saying much.

One thing though, I didn't know, going in, that it was Kosinski who wrote this mess. Now I know, anything written by him, stay away. He's the M. Night Shyamalan of the sci-fi set.

SGG

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
Here are some select quotes from reviews taken from RottenTomatoes.com:

"A slow-moving behemoth of a film that has been art-directed into a coma."

"This is the sci-fi movie equivalent of a pretty damn good cover band."

"Cruise has more chemistry with drones than with his two love interests."

"A boldly rendered film with faulty nuts, bolts and wiring is still, at its core, a movie that doesn't work. Witness Oblivion."

"Which brings us to "Oblivion's" biggest drawback; its lack of originality. The movie borrows from so many sources that you can spend the entire 125 minutes playing 'Name That Movie'."

"Oblivion would have been better titled Thelma & Louise because, like the characters in that 1991 drama, it drives itself over a cliff."

1 2 NEXT PAGE