Director: Jospeh Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, Olga Kurylenko
Certificate: 12
Running Time: 119 minutes
Extras: None
How do you follow up a confused and disappointing debut like TRON: LEGACY (2010)? Well, if you’re Joseph Kosinski you amp up the confusion for your next project which is lead by the biggest movie star in the world, Tom Cruise.
Set in 2077 Jack Harper (Cruise) and Victoria (Riseborough) are the last people on Earth following an invasion by Scavs’ who attempted to steal the planets resources. With their memories wiped years previous the pair near the end of their on-Earth assignment, and a return to the populations new home Titan, a moon on Saturn. During their assignment they communicate with the inhabitants of Tet, a housing station orbiting Earth, taking the orders of Sally (Leo) to ensure the planet is safe, and the patrol drones are maintained. With two weeks until their return Jack is plagued by flashbacks of a previous life he shouldn’t remember and is pensive to go ‘home’.
As brief snapshots of plot go, that’s pretty hefty which gives you an insight into how OBLIVION works. It is a film that demands your attention, your concentration and your ear. A simple pop to the toilet will likely result in you missing a plot point which will pop up later in proceedings. Kosinski and fellow writers Karl Gajdusek (TVs DEAD LIKE ME) and Michael Arndt (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) have done a decent job converting the story to the big-screen but it’s often a victim of its own reach especially during a second act where Jack’s path is never entirely clear. Whilst there are severe plotting questions during the movie, one thing that can’t be argued is how beautiful Kosinski’s lens films the action; blue skies, white backgrounds and some wonderful derelict and destroyed buildings add wonderful visual flourish. On the negative side there is more ambiguity as to who the antagonist of the film is and why. Several characters hold the role for small periods of time with none entirely satisfying. To have a $120 million film with no clear villain is a massive hole which makes it hard to will for Jack and therefore hold emotional connection.
OBLIVION is a film of near-misses: with some tightening the story could have been a rollicking 90 minutes as opposed to a bloated 119; more focus on a clear villain would have made the film more engaging, and the omission of a few sub-characters could have made the film feel smoother. With this being said the film is enjoyable and perfect Friday night viewing, but it could have been so much more.
OBLIVION is released on DVD and Blu-ray 19th August
