Note: For those unfamiliar with my reviews, I try not to dive too much into the plot of the film I'm reviewing. However, if you still want to steer clear of the main review just in case, I sum up my thoughts in a final verdict which avoids any specific details which might be found in the main review.
OK, no matter what you think about the trailers for Edge of Tomorrow, you have to admit that the combination of Tom Cruise, one of the biggest action stars of all-time, with director Doug Liman (the man behind one of the great spy thrillers The Bourne Identity) is an intriguing notion.
OK, no matter what you think about the trailers for Edge of Tomorrow, you have to admit that the combination of Tom Cruise, one of the biggest action stars of all-time, with director Doug Liman (the man behind one of the great spy thrillers The Bourne Identity) is an intriguing notion.
William Cage (Tom Cruise) is a high-ranking army official during a war against an invading alien force known as 'Mimics'. As part of a publicity stunt co-ordinated by his new superior (Brendan Gleeson), he is sent in the first wave of an attack intended to wipe out the invaders once and for all. Instead, Cage is quickly killed... only to wake up the day before the attack, somehow having garnered the ability to turn back time upon dying. In order to better understand and utilise this new-found power to continually return from the dead, Cage quickly tracks down Rita (Emily Blunt), who might help him understand his current predicament.
Edge of Tomorrow, based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka's 2004 novel titled All You Need Is Kill, clearly owes debts to films such as Groundhog Day and Aliens. Both the darkly comic and existential repetitions which Cage endures recall Bill Murray's struggles in the former film (not to mention the struggles of Jake Gyllenhaal's character in Source Code, another sci-fi variation on Groundhog Day), while the presence of a heavy military force going up against marauding aliens and Bill Paxton AKA Hicks in a scene-stealing supporting role recall the latter. Thankfully, Edge of Tomorrow manages to construct its own identity from these elements, becoming its own beast without seeming like a rip-off of superior classics.
The film's success lies heavily on the shoulders of Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, and they succeed beautifully. The character of William Cage is unlike Cruise's usual lead roles in blockbusters, but Cruise tackles the difference courageously to deliver a likeable, relatable and human performance infused with his usual all-star charisma and an underlying darkness. Also, while Cruise can sometimes come across as a stick in the mud (water-microphone gag, anyone?), he stretches unexpected comedic chops here. Meanwhile, Blunt is nothing short of enthralling as one of the most bad-ass female leads in a blockbuster for a long time (the character's nickname, as inherited from the novel, is nothing short of awesome). Blunt has already proved that she is capable of capturing the vulnerability in a character, but her performance here blends that vulnerability with a toughness and a determination to get things done which makes her just as much of a principal hero as Cruise, if not more so. Both Cruise and Blunt share wonderful chemistry in a relationship with great dimension which refreshingly veers away from the typical romance which most blockbusters promote. With The Bourne Identity, director Liman put Matt Damon into the role of an action hero. The role of Jason Bourne wasn't one similar to Damon's previous body of work, but he excelled in it nonetheless. Here, much like Damon in The Bourne Identity, both Cruise and Blunt are placed in roles which are dissimilar to the majority of their previous work. And also much like Damon, both Cruise and Blunt seize the chance to explore different characters and do terrific work. The supporting cast is strong, with Paxton especially having a blast as a war-loving master sargeant. This feels like a play on Paxton's role as Hudson from Aliens, and Paxton has a lot of fun playing with that image. Gleeson and Noah Taylor (as a doctor who helps Cage and Rita) deliver their usual reliable work, while the actors portraying Cage's fellow soldiers all do solid work; it's particularly nice to see Jonas Armstrong (best known as the titular character from the BBC series Robin Hood) getting some big-screen exposure, although I found it a bit odd that Robin Hood co-star Lara Pulver appears in a blink-and-miss-it role.
Director Doug Liman brings the same hectic energy and intelligence to Edge of Tomorrow that he channeled into The Bourne Identity. After Liman seemed to slowly succumb to Hollywood's rules with 2005's decently entertaining Mr. and Mrs Smith and 2008's disappointingly lacklustre Jumper, he has firmly reclaimed his edginess here (perhaps because he's more comfortable with the European style found both in the Bourne series and in Edge of Tomorrow). Thanks to the film's concept, he also have a lot of fun with the ways in which Cage is dispatched. For at least the first half of the film, Cage's predicaments are shown in a more darkly comedic light thanks to the style of Liman and editor James Herbert. While this approach could have easily undermined the high-stakes of the story, Liman, Herbert, Cruise and Blunt play it just the right way. And as both the story and Cage progress, Liman delights in continually keeping the audience on their toes. Just as we and Cage think we have it all figured out, out comes the rug. A lot of kudos should also be given to Liman and Herbert for managing to avoid repetition, which is always a high danger with this concept. This is also thanks to the screenwriting team of Christopher McQuarrie (the man behind the script for The Usual Suspects) and brothers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (who wrote the script for the upcoming James Brown bio-pic Get On Up). The dialogue between the characters is consistently intelligent and funny while exposing the character's inner selves, and the ways in which the story progresses are clever and often unexpected. Both the direction and the script passionately bring this concept to life.
As with the majority of summer blockbusters, the quality of the action sequences is an important element. Thankfully, the action sequences in Edge of Tomorrow are consistently stunning. This is made even more impressive by the fact that the major battle sequence is returned to again and again; Liman and cinematographer Dion Beebe, while using enough shots to remind the audience that this is the same scenario, still continually find new ways to portray the action from new angles. Even better, the action changes with the evolution of Cage as a character and the ways in which he and Rita choose to approach the situation. Liman applies his chaotic style terrifically to the action, while never allowing the action to get too out-of-control for the audience.
Technically, this film is arguably the most impressive blockbuster so far this year. The score by Christophe Beck (which I'm listening to while writing this review) is pitch-perfect in its playful intensity, matching the edginess of the film brilliantly. The visual effects are spectacular; major props go to the team behind the design and creation of the 'Mimics', as the creatures have a uniquely unsettling appearances and a rampaging wildness which make them legitimately threatening foes. The cinematography is suitably apocalyptic, and makes both the industrial and natural locations look appropriately battle-scarred yet strangely appealing; the main battle scenes are shot with grimly balletic beauty and appear as the equivalent of a sci-fi Saving Private Ryan. Also, it's immensely refreshing to see locations which stand out as different from your usual Hollywood blockbusters. The use of London and France as key locations not only makes the threat more massive and globe-threatening but it also emphasises how out of his depth Cage is. The we get to the 3D presentation. Thankfully, the 3D isn't completely pointless. On the contrary, the 3D actually allows a deeper immersion into the action sequences, with debris flying in your face and inventive camera shots placing you in the middle of the action (one particular shot in the first action sequence terrifically captures the chaos and panic of the scenario from Cage's POV). However, outside of the action, the 3D doesn't seem to have much of an impact. I am slightly annoyed with this, but if a film is to be shown in 3D, I'd rather that the 3D had a positive effect on the film rather than no effect or a detrimental one.
I only have two main issues with this film. The first is that, despite the best efforts of the actors and writers, the explanation behind Cage's predicament is convoluted and threatens to stretch disbelief. However, because it facilitates the rest of an exceptionally entertaining film, I'm willing to cut it some slack. The second issue I have is with the ending. I will just say that there were several options as to how this film could end, and the option the filmmakers went with is arguably problematic for, among other reasons, the questions it raises regarding the plot. I would have preferred an ending which didn't appear to poke holes in the plot (even though the very last scene is wonderfully played).
Final Verdict and Rating
Despite a belief-stretching explanation of the main character's predicament and a disappointing conclusion, Edge of Tomorrow is still a great sci-fi action thriller which is easily director Doug Liman's best film since The Bourne Identity. With an intelligent script, great performances, spectacular action, exceptional visual effects and a expertly executed concept which strikes a brilliant balance between dark comedy and high-stakes threat, there is plenty to make this a propulsive piece of blockbuster spectacle. Mr. Cruise, you're still a bona fide action star.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
P.S. If you want more reasons why you should see Edge of Tomorrow, feel free to check out these videos from some of my favourite Youtube critics. Keep in mind that, as they are discussing why you should see the film, details about the film may be revealed and discussed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOixYsF4JYs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wjT6IeuoVw
P.P.S. Geek alert, but for fans of the 50th anniversary Doctor Who special, doesn't that landing space for the helicopter in Edge of Tomorrow's first scene look familar?
Director Doug Liman brings the same hectic energy and intelligence to Edge of Tomorrow that he channeled into The Bourne Identity. After Liman seemed to slowly succumb to Hollywood's rules with 2005's decently entertaining Mr. and Mrs Smith and 2008's disappointingly lacklustre Jumper, he has firmly reclaimed his edginess here (perhaps because he's more comfortable with the European style found both in the Bourne series and in Edge of Tomorrow). Thanks to the film's concept, he also have a lot of fun with the ways in which Cage is dispatched. For at least the first half of the film, Cage's predicaments are shown in a more darkly comedic light thanks to the style of Liman and editor James Herbert. While this approach could have easily undermined the high-stakes of the story, Liman, Herbert, Cruise and Blunt play it just the right way. And as both the story and Cage progress, Liman delights in continually keeping the audience on their toes. Just as we and Cage think we have it all figured out, out comes the rug. A lot of kudos should also be given to Liman and Herbert for managing to avoid repetition, which is always a high danger with this concept. This is also thanks to the screenwriting team of Christopher McQuarrie (the man behind the script for The Usual Suspects) and brothers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (who wrote the script for the upcoming James Brown bio-pic Get On Up). The dialogue between the characters is consistently intelligent and funny while exposing the character's inner selves, and the ways in which the story progresses are clever and often unexpected. Both the direction and the script passionately bring this concept to life.
As with the majority of summer blockbusters, the quality of the action sequences is an important element. Thankfully, the action sequences in Edge of Tomorrow are consistently stunning. This is made even more impressive by the fact that the major battle sequence is returned to again and again; Liman and cinematographer Dion Beebe, while using enough shots to remind the audience that this is the same scenario, still continually find new ways to portray the action from new angles. Even better, the action changes with the evolution of Cage as a character and the ways in which he and Rita choose to approach the situation. Liman applies his chaotic style terrifically to the action, while never allowing the action to get too out-of-control for the audience.
Technically, this film is arguably the most impressive blockbuster so far this year. The score by Christophe Beck (which I'm listening to while writing this review) is pitch-perfect in its playful intensity, matching the edginess of the film brilliantly. The visual effects are spectacular; major props go to the team behind the design and creation of the 'Mimics', as the creatures have a uniquely unsettling appearances and a rampaging wildness which make them legitimately threatening foes. The cinematography is suitably apocalyptic, and makes both the industrial and natural locations look appropriately battle-scarred yet strangely appealing; the main battle scenes are shot with grimly balletic beauty and appear as the equivalent of a sci-fi Saving Private Ryan. Also, it's immensely refreshing to see locations which stand out as different from your usual Hollywood blockbusters. The use of London and France as key locations not only makes the threat more massive and globe-threatening but it also emphasises how out of his depth Cage is. The we get to the 3D presentation. Thankfully, the 3D isn't completely pointless. On the contrary, the 3D actually allows a deeper immersion into the action sequences, with debris flying in your face and inventive camera shots placing you in the middle of the action (one particular shot in the first action sequence terrifically captures the chaos and panic of the scenario from Cage's POV). However, outside of the action, the 3D doesn't seem to have much of an impact. I am slightly annoyed with this, but if a film is to be shown in 3D, I'd rather that the 3D had a positive effect on the film rather than no effect or a detrimental one.
I only have two main issues with this film. The first is that, despite the best efforts of the actors and writers, the explanation behind Cage's predicament is convoluted and threatens to stretch disbelief. However, because it facilitates the rest of an exceptionally entertaining film, I'm willing to cut it some slack. The second issue I have is with the ending. I will just say that there were several options as to how this film could end, and the option the filmmakers went with is arguably problematic for, among other reasons, the questions it raises regarding the plot. I would have preferred an ending which didn't appear to poke holes in the plot (even though the very last scene is wonderfully played).
Final Verdict and Rating
Despite a belief-stretching explanation of the main character's predicament and a disappointing conclusion, Edge of Tomorrow is still a great sci-fi action thriller which is easily director Doug Liman's best film since The Bourne Identity. With an intelligent script, great performances, spectacular action, exceptional visual effects and a expertly executed concept which strikes a brilliant balance between dark comedy and high-stakes threat, there is plenty to make this a propulsive piece of blockbuster spectacle. Mr. Cruise, you're still a bona fide action star.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
P.S. If you want more reasons why you should see Edge of Tomorrow, feel free to check out these videos from some of my favourite Youtube critics. Keep in mind that, as they are discussing why you should see the film, details about the film may be revealed and discussed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOixYsF4JYs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wjT6IeuoVw
P.P.S. Geek alert, but for fans of the 50th anniversary Doctor Who special, doesn't that landing space for the helicopter in Edge of Tomorrow's first scene look familar?
