Edge of Tomorrow
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt
Directed By: Doug Liman
Reviewed by Danielle Muir
[rating: 3.5/5]
There’s no doubting that Edge of Tomorrow is certainly on the higher end of the quality blockbuster scale. But what could have been a charismatic, gutsy film unfortunately resorts to Hollywood cheese, wrapping itself up in a neat little package that patronises the brilliant first half.
The premise has been done before, but the desensitisation the characters experience has not. Private Cage (Cruise) is a PR guru unwillingly drafted into a global war against an alien race. Being under skilled and out of his depth in every sense, he’s thrust into the midst of a brutal attack where he dies a horrific death – only to wake up in the barracks the day before the onslaught took place. After multiple re-death’s he discovers that Rita (Blunt), the ‘Angel of Verdun’ and poster child for humanities defence, has experienced the same phenomenon – and the two work together to win the war, reliving the same day and inching closer to their goal, the ‘omega’.
The first half of Edge of Tomorrow is incredibly entertaining. Cruise is delightfully bumbling and is the main source of comedic value – a stark contrast to a no-nonsense Blunt whose physique and warrior persona is shockingly powerful. Their relationship (which resets every two seconds) is hilarious, as fed-up Rita simply shoots him in the face when things aren’t going to plan or she’s ‘tired’, yet is peppered by moments of real depth when the repercussions of their situation on an emotional level are examined (i.e. Cage watching Rita die day after day).
After an hour of exhilaration, laughs and suspense, the film spins away from greatness. Instead of taking a gutsy, gritty route that this reviewer felt the film deserved, it descends into generic territory – with nothing really memorable occurring other than inexplicable events that result in convenient outcomes, and ultimately the cookie-cutter ending we’re served on a platter. The cheese really detracts from all the glorious preparation and lead up, making it feel like none of the previous events mattered at all. A disappointing feeling to have.
The visual effects and design of the exoskeleton-style armour is virtually flawless. The alien race is quite horrifying – it’s like an oil-slicked octopus on crystal meth that spouts phosphorous liquid in every direction. Watching Rita, kitted out in her huge armour swinging her equally impressive blade is exhilarating, but you do pity those actors because those suits look like a bitch to wrangle.
The film is certainly not one to be missed, as the first half will have you exhilarated and grinning like a fool, but an ending that did the film and its characters justice would have been appreciated.
