Cinema Reviews

Edge Of Tomorrow Review

30th May 2014

Tom Cruise racks up another Sci-fi epic under his wing – working with a capable director, and reworking ideas that we are familiar with from other sci-fi adventures. Whilst Oblivion reeked slightly of too many recycled parts – Edge of Tomorrow manages to keep its ideas fresh.

In the future – it seems that Europe has being conquered by an alien force. Amidst the war, William Cage (Cruise) is stripped of his rank and thrust against his will into combat with the troops. Not long into battle he is killed, but finds himself thrust back a day to relive the next 24 hours on a loop. He is killed again and again and the day keeps resetting. It isn’t long before he wises-up to what is going on and hooks up with Emily Blunt’s hardened battle veteran and the two set about training and figuring out how to defeat their enemy.

The effects and action sequences are terrific. The 12A rating manages to keep the film as bloodless as possible. Most of the characters’ deaths are not very gory, instead resulting in a sudden cut to black, or shot of Cage waking up again on his next go around. But the rapidity of the days elements, the use of repetition, alteration and still having the ability to surprise you along the way is where the film gets most of its energy from.

Bill Paxton steals early moments of the film as the sergeant in charge of the troops Cruise is thrust into. There is otherwise a fairly forgettable rag-tag of allies there, just as loud, boisterous and annoying as your typical military goons in movies.

Christopher McQuarrie is back with Cruise once again on script duties and we suspect is responsible for a lot of the films wise cuts and focus changes along the way. Their track record is for the best part fairly strong (which if Mission: Impossible 5 is to become a reality could be something else to look forward to).

The film essentially is about us fighting CGI tentacle heavy blobs from outer space. And that alone sounds absurd, never mind how it looks. And yet somehow with the talent onboard in front and behind the camera – Edge Of Tomorrow is exhilarating from start to finish. It may be a load of old cobblers, but it’s well told, engaging and satisfying old cobblers.