Oblivion

The summer blockbuster season has officially kicked off with this smart thought-provoking Science fiction epic with big Hollywood A-list names attached to it. Not since Prometheus (2012) has there been an attempt made at such a slick and serious dystopian post-apocalyptic vision.

If you’ve seen and loved Duncan Jone’s low budget film Moon (2009), you will recognized the inspiration for this cerebral story about an ‘effective team’ couple whose mission is to oversee the repairs of drones protecting a terraforming project after a devastating attack by aliens has left the Earth a surreal moonscape of pock-marked ruins. You will also find familiar story elements from Logan’s Run (1976), Independence Day (1996), I Am Legend (2007) and WALL-E (2008).

‘Style over substance’ seems to be the main complaint by critics about Oblivion, Tom Cruise’s latest sci-fi action drama. But that’s what they said about Blade Runner when it was first released in 1982. Whether Oblivion will have the same impact and become the cult classic that Blade Runner is remains to be seen. But it’s certainly as enjoyable and provocative with a visual style that’s reminiscent of the best of classic sci-fi.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, we get a visual mix of Tron: Legacy (2010), which he also directed, and more than a few visual references to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Star Wars (1977). What’s not to like about that? Anyone who loves good Sci-fi will certainly enjoy this stylish mind-bender that’s part futuristic action and part psychological thriller with a touching love story thrown in.

As futuristic as it looks, filmed on the otherworldly landscapes of Iceland; it’s as if the earth has been covered by layers of volcanic ash, Oblivion also has a nostalgic retro bent to it as our hero, Jack Harper, collects all manner of vintage trinkets and memorabilia that he finds on his excursions while repairing drones. He also has recurring visions of a time before the apocalypse.

The music by M83 has a Vangelis type electronic ambient mood that fits well with the barren landscapes and gives the film a cutting edge feeling suggestive of the dehumanized worlds of Philip K. Dick’s novels like Blade Runner (1982), Minority Report (2002) and Total Recall (2012).  

Living literally as the last man and woman on earth, our lonely but effective couple is promised that they will join the rest of the remaining human colonists on Titan, a life sustaining moon orbiting Saturn, when their mission is completed. But when Jack investigates a crashed space vessel that lands nearby, a shocking mystery is revealed.

If you look at what defines a Tom Cruise movie, the one thing they all have in common is obsessively motivated characters with an abundance of confidence and determination to accomplish the job at hand. Much like his own personality his latest character fits perfectly into his legacy of 37 films playing charismatic action heroes from Risky Business (1983) and Top Gun (1986) to The Last Samurai (2003), Collateral (2004), Valkyrie (2008), Knight and Day (2010) and the Mission Impossible movies.

The movie’s theme of breaking barriers and seeing past the façade is an apt one for the beleaguered public image of Tom Cruise. People who may be turned off by his portrayal in the media will be deprived of a stunning visual experience and an entertaining film that pays homage to many of the best sci-fi action films.

JP