Oblivion (2013) – Encore Review

“If we have souls, they are made of the love we share… undimmed by time and bound by death. ” – Jack Harper

Number of Times Seen – Twice (21 Jul 2013 and 9 Jul 2020)

Link to original review – Here

Brief Synopsis – In the not too distant future, a team of humans are left to defend and cultivate Earth’s resources after the rest of the population has been moved off world following an invasion.

My Take on it – This is a film that I recall seeing not long after it originally came out yet didn’t recall much about it, so I decided that it was time to revisit it.

The overall premise is actually intriguing yet I couldn’t help thinking throughout the movie how much it feels like a live action version of Wall-E (2008).

Tom Cruise does a great job with this role even if he is hampered a bit by the script.

Something constantly feels missing from his character’s actions and through the choices he makes which could have made things much more entertaining and impactful to watch unfold.

The film has a nice supporting cast that includes Morgan Freeman and Olga Kurylenko who both add so much to the story.

This film’s plot has so much more potential than is realized here and it’s a shame that things aren’t as powerful as they probably could have been.

The special effects add much to the mix and actually help make things look and feel much more realistic as the story unfolds.

The themes that this film deals with are quite deep and they leave us with much to ponder as the credits roe.

Unfortunately, this film is far from perfect yet still is able to leave an impression on the viewer.

Bottom Line – Interesting idea that seems too much like a live action version of Wall-E (2008) than it should. Cruise does a great job here in the lead role, but something seems missing from his character’s choices and actions that would help make this story more powerful. The supporting cast is also great with Freeman and Olga Kurylenko adding a lot to the mix. The overall plot has much more potential than is realized here and that’s quite a shame. The special effects help enhance things and make it all seem much more realistic as things move along. The film’s themes leave much to ponder even if things are far from being perfect here.

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – The opening scene when the Universal logo appears offers the viewer a quick survey of how damaged the earth is in the film. The Tet is in orbit, as is the orbital escape module from the Odyssey. The oceans have receded, land masses have craters the size of entire countries, there are no polar ice caps, and even the word Universal appears worn and damaged. (From IMDB)

Rating – BAFTA Worthy (6/10) (downgrade from original review)