Movie Review: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Written by Anthony Sargon
Talk about a pleasant surprise. I walked into Edge of Tomorrow with fairly modest expectations given my recent indifference to anything Tom Cruise attaches himself to. The trailers have been terrible and have done nothing to get me excited, and I assumed this’d be just another lackluster sci-fi that won’t be remembered a mere two years from now. Man was I wrong. Edge of Tomorrow is a lot of fun, and it succeeds on multiple levels. It’s funny, energetic, and gives us what is arguably Tom Cruise’s most relatable and likable performance in years.
The story is based on a Japanese novel titled All You Need is Kill, which was actually going to be the film’s title (would have been cooler). It chronicles the invasion of Earth by a mysterious alien race nicknamed “Mimics.” When Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) – who has zero combat experience – finds himself in the middle of an attempt to take back parts of Europe, he’s immediately killed. But instead of floating away into nothingness, he wakes up in the same spot he was before being sent off to war. As Cage struggles to understand why he’s able to simply “reset” after being killed in battle, he crosses paths with Rita Vrataski (the incredibly beautiful Emily Blunt), a legendary soldier responsible for humanity’s significant victory in Verdun. The two must work together to use his new-found power to defeat the Mimics, or else humanity is doomed.
The thing that surprised me the most about Edge of Tomorrow was how funny the movie turned out to be. This is basically a sci-fi Groundhog Day, with Cruise’s character reliving the same events over and over again, and director Doug Liman and writer Christopher McQuarrie make sure to keep things light when they need to be. I’ve personally had a very hard time separating Tom Cruise from his roles in recent years, but this was the first time I was able to believe him as another character. His willingness to be funny and play an unlikely hero made him relatable and affable, and I was happy to see that side of Cruise again.
Emily Blunt is also magnificent in the flick, and in my humble opinion, even more badass than Eva Green’s Artemisia in 300: Rise of an Empire. She’s absolutely gorgeous, and totally believable as an expert killing machine. The action in the film is really cool, and I’m glad that the exoskeleton suits don’t really take center stage; it’s more about staging and moving from one level to the next. Given the “game over/repeat” aspect, the film feels very much like a video game, but in the best possible way. I’d go as far as to say that this may in a way be the most faithful video game adaptation ever made, even if it’s not really based on any video game. The aliens themselves look cool and unique, and the visual effects in general were quite seamless. Liman has truly delivered a quality film with Edge. Also, I have to give props to Bill Paxton, who was hilarious as Master Sergeant Farell.
The Verdict:
It may not have the same amount of hype as this summer’s countless sequels, remakes, and reboots, but Edge of Tomorrow is the epitome of a great summer blockbuster. With great performances, action, and humor, it’s one of the summer’s best, and Tom Cruises’ strongest effort in years. Check it out.
Numerical Score: 9/10
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