Above the desolate Earth rises a colossal tower. Inside live two people: Jack, a retired soldier who has retrained as a combat drone repairman, and his commanding girlfriend, Victoria. Humanity abandoned the planet after a devastating war with aliens, the remnants of which are destroyed by Jack’s drones. Their extended watch is coming to an end, but during another landing on the surface, the hero finds something he least expected: people.
“Tom Cruise is saving the world again? I get it,” a skeptical viewer might say and be a thousand times wrong. Parallels to “Oblivion” should not be sought in the actor’s action-packed filmography, but rather in last year’s “Prometheus.” Here, too, they first dive without warning into a depth that has long been uncharacteristic of the genre, only to replace the barely formed statement with a cavalry charge at the crucial moment.
A transparent pool in the sky, cold interiors dominated by gray, endless deserts with neat inclusions of dilapidated bridges and skyscrapers. This is the kind of movie Fassbender’s robot David could have made if the Weyland Corporation had entrusted him with production budgets and Tom Cruise. In fact, world critics began comparing Joseph Kosinski’s creative vision with household appliances after the release of his “Tron: Legacy.” But if there he really didn’t know what to do with the damned humans trampling his perfect computer landscapes, now he seems to have found a reasonable compromise. In general, while sharing Dr. Manhattan’s views on the banality of organic life forms, the director has learned to mask his disgust on a purely dramatic level. This time, Kosinski’s main characters (the film is based on his own graphic novel) really develop, suffer, and indulge in dreams to “Whiter Shade of Pale,” but they do it quickly and with a minimum of words, so as not to distract the author from the shootouts and breathtaking panoramas.
If there is anything to stumble over in “Oblivion,” it is the school physics course hammered into everyone in their distant childhood. Is it comfortable for Jack and Victoria to breathe while dining in the clouds? Why doesn’t the invincible alien gravity affect the detachable passenger module of the spaceship? These and other questions will surely continue to stir inquisitive minds for a long time. However, such claims can easily be made against any, even the most classic science fiction. Better to look at how touchingly lonely Cruise strides through the ruins of the Empire State Building.
The creators of “WALL-E” can only envy.
Conclusion
“Oblivion” is a visually stunning and thought-provoking science fiction film that offers a unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre. While it may not be perfect, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses, making it a must-see for fans of science fiction and action films alike.
Final Thoughts
The film’s visuals are truly breathtaking, and the story is engaging and thought-provoking. While some may find the plot to be a bit predictable, the film’s overall execution is excellent.