For those with a sci-fi thirst Tom Cruise’s latest film Oblivion would appear to be a solid bet. What we are given is a post-apocalyptic bore.
The slow-paced plot begins in 2077; Earth has been abandoned after an alien attack. Tom Cruise plays Jack Harper, who is tasked with tying up loose ends before Earth’s population can move to another planet.
The job description involves fixing electricity-harvesting drones, and eliminating any alien scavengers. Jack is accompanied by partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) whose character is essentially a controlling futuristic stepford wife.
The first half of the film feels the need to move at a snail-like pace in order for the audience to get their head around these convolutions. Cruise is stiff and his delivery of humorous antidotes fails terribly. The storyline takes a slight turn for the better when Jack meets Julia (Olga Kurylenco) whom he recognises from flashbacks about the Earth prior to invasion.
Morgan Freeman’s character ‘Beech’ then appears and reveals there is a hidden truth about the invasion, which is unsubtly hinted at throughout the film.
On the upside, director Joseph Koskinsi again demonstrates his talent for producing visually impressive sci-fi films. If looks were everything then this would be a welcome addition to the genre. However the plot, script and majority of acting feels forced to fit certain generic expectations. It is a classic case of style over substance.
Give me Wall-E any day.