Oblivion [Blu-ray]

I just love this film! Losing count how many times I have seen it and knowing I will wear it out one day.This is no Oscar winner (although the breath-taking landscapes deserve to be). There are plot holes deeper than the Icelandic Volcanic craters and the acting gets a bit clunky (even Morgan GOD? Freeman manages an off-day.) But who cares? For dark humour, it’s a hoot AND I LURRRRVE IT!!!First Monsieur Cruise - someone far more qualified than me made the assertion that TC works much better leading the cast from the bottom up, than he does as pre-eminent all conquering hero. Here we have him perfectly appointed the role of "generic bloke" best friends with a dummy called "Bob." As such he is outstanding switching from unflinching hard man to childishly flawed irreverence and possessed of the best man-cave you are EVER going to see.At his side is the eloquent Geordie beauty Andrea Riseborough who easily steals the show from under the nose of OLGA KURYLENKO. Full marks to KOSINSKI for selecting deliberately alternative faces to play the female leads and romantic interest. Both definitely do not look like they were made in Hollywood. It works for Riseborough as resolutely corporate VIKA in a way that misses by miles for Kurylenko awkwardly trying to hold up the mystery of JULIA.The basic tenant of Science Fiction is some of the underlying "science" is more fictional than it ought to be. And so we are asked to suspend believe, occasionally beyond the point of credibility but in the good cause of enjoying a no-nonsense tale that is entertaining in way that it plays out rather than any grand notions of pulling the fleece over your eyeballs.MOON is more intriguing, and decidedly darker.INTERSTELLAR is more detailed by an order of magnitude, but both take themselves way too seriously for this. OBLIVION is no comedy, but is intended as a tall tale to be "enjoyed" if you let it go where it asks without question.Acting honours go to Cruise edging Riseborough by a nose and for being so refreshingly human.Special mention goes to Melissa Leo as the wretchedly irritating SALLY. Without the contextual justification of the final act, voice acting of this type could easily earn a Razzie.MORGAN FREEMAN? Sorry, just not your day this time. He looks somewhat out of place in a way last seen in HARD RAIN. This film just doesn’t NEED him in the way others do.The villain’s award must go to the menacing clones. A deviant blend of Steve Jobs styling with "personality" added courtesy of ED 209 (Mk I). Rotten to their APPLE-esque core.OBLIVION from the start strolls along at its own pace, gently developing a simple plot that occasionally threatens to divert you, but ultimately becomes vividly clear once you discern good from bad. Its patient emphasis of the barren scenery is entirely keeping with the plot and focuses the eyes during the frequent occasions when the story meanders more than it should.The tech, is restrained and a measured counterpoint the bleak world we are presented with. The cast pared back to leave no choices but the obvious where this is off to.OBLIVION is not cerebral sci-fi in the way of CONTACT, but lighter in the way that gave us HAN SOLO or ALIENS, albeit without the drama of either.Watch once to "get-it," twice to double-check, but over and over for sheer entertainment as the perfect antidote after the let-down the unrelated PROMETHEUS proved to be. It’s not a guilty pleasure, just a movie that delivers so solidly it is excused its many flaws.

Superb story one of the Sci Fi movies that has a good story line, excellent actors. This is the second time watching after many years and having forgotten the screen play, it was even better second time around. The drones were evil things and in these troubled times and the advancement of AI it leaves you wondering where it will go with these things, maybe an omen. Back to the film, intriguing... with a decent understandable end. Well worth watching.

Oblivion is a deep conspiracy thriller with vast implications that keep you thinking long after watching.This is a very watchable movie with good production values. The script and story are solid and intelligent. The experience is nicely spaced out with impressive wide open landscapes and only a handful of characters to fill them. Visually, Oblivion is a treat, but moreover it is refreshing to see a post-apocalyptic story with some heart and soul to it, as well as enough possibilities to keep you interested.Cruise himself does his usual thing, playing the tormented hero in a science fiction setting. His portrayal is very similar to the heroes of say Minority Report or War of the Worlds, but to his credit, Cruise is very good at what he does, and I cannot imagine a different actor leading this film. The sci-fi / action genres do suit his skill set very well.One of the best qualities of this film is the soundtrack. I don't just mean the music but the sound effects, which are awesome. Everything from the drones, aircraft and weapons, to the scavengers' "speech" are superbly unnerving and weird.There honestly isn't much to criticise in Oblivion but a few niggly points remain (Stop reading now to avoid spoilers). First, the timeframe seems wrong. The world looks more like something thousands of years after the apocalypse, not a few decades. But the references don't add up. Second, there was a slight vagueness and unresolved aspect to the ending. No actual purpose or clarity for the alien invasion is ever explained. Not is it explained how the supposedly alien drones have English words and numbers printed on them. A few illogical points aren't enough to ruin the fun, thankfully.Despite its visual elegance, Oblivion is an immerse movie that smacks of accomplished writing and production rather than over-reliance on effects.

One of best sci fi films ever