Oblivion [Blu-ray]

This is a review of the 2013 All Region Blu-ray from Universal Pictures. It is a quality product with plenty of extras.Any film starring Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman deserves attention. Both actors, with many hits under their collective belt, have a significant track record in popular Sci-Fi hits. So it is strange that this film, in which they both deliver strong performances, is not one to have really caught the popular imagination. It is especially odd, given that the film looks good, with some highly effective CGI, and has plenty of pace and action.‘Oblivion’, directed by the man behind the recent ‘Top Gun’ sequel Joseph Kosinski, is based on an unpublished graphic novel that he wrote. His novel was, reportedly, written as a homage to Ray Bradbury’s ‘Martian Chronicles’. The action takes place in 2077, on an unrecognisable earth, virtually destroyed by a war with extraterrestrial scavengers.Filming took place in an assortment of locations, including Louisiana, New York and Iceland. Chilean cinematographer Claudio Miranda has worked with Kosinski on a number of films (including ‘Top Gun: Maverick’). He is a pioneer of digitally filmed movies, winning the OSCAR for Ang Lee’s ‘Life of Pi’(2012). Visual special-effects house Pixomondo created the amazing views we see. The effects, involving the Earth, the Moon and various vast fuel-making machines, are spectacular. Some of the plot ideas, though quite simple, are clever and nicely realised. It is interesting to consider the significance to our well-being here on Earth, of the continued healthy existence of the Moon. When we look up at it in the night sky, we don’t comprehend its importance to our well-being!The film is made more interesting however, by the fact that it is not merely a Sci-Fi film, but also, to a degree, a sort of detective thriller, a ‘Whodunnit’, and very clever it is too. Kosinski’s story was originally picked up by Disney, but they realised that it could not be sufficiently ‘tweaked’ to make the narrative ‘family friendly’ with a PG rating: Universal took it up.Star Tom Cruise had a long-standing interest in participating in ‘Oblivion’, and was the first major character to sign up for it. Ukrainian-French actress Olga Kurylenko was then cast opposite him, along with English actress Andrea Riseborough. Kurylenko had been the ‘Bond Girl’ in ‘Quantum of Solace’(2008) opposite Daniel Craig, whilst Riseborough had some busy years in films, including the iconic comedy ‘Made in Dagenham’(2010). Morgan Freeman and Danish ‘Game of Thrones’ star (as Jamie Lannister) Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, play the other major parts. They make quite an effective team. Cruise in particular, has become a singularly reliable actor. Here he gets stuck in to an exciting array of action scenes, in which, presumably, he does his own stunts, as usual.We enjoyed the film very much. It is not perhaps as brilliant or engaging as, for example, ‘Gravity’(2013) or ‘The Martian’(2015), but it is interesting, effective, certainly gripping, and worthy of a strong 4(½) Stars.

I'm not sure why rotten tomatoes gave this film a low score. Great film and story line. Tom Cruise was amazing as ever. Well worth a watch.

Watchable entertainment. Interesting story with good characters and enough plot twists.Few glitches as the story ends e.g., what happened to Victoria 52?? Why didn't she watch the remotes?Passable Sci Fi entertainment. Would love one of those new fangled choppers!!

A big budget science fiction that is a wholly original concept, and not a comic book adaptation, a sequel, or the start of a trilogy. What will they think of next?Although technically it is a comic adaptation since it's based on an unpublished graphic novel. Anyway...Tom Cruise is Jack. Harper, rather than Reacher. A man haunted by dreams of New York. The Empire State. And a woman.Cue the exposition. Earth was attacked by aliens. Who blew up the moon [the first of many stunning images]. We went to war for the planet. We used the nukes to drive them off. The aliens lost. We won. The Earth won't recover. Humanity has moved to Titan. Vast machines draw up sea water from Earth's remaining oceans to convert it to fuel for the colony. Jack is a repairman. Who works on the drones that maintain the machines. He does this from a small base in a glass tower along with his colleague Victoria [Andrea Riseborough] who mans communications and communicates with Titan and a lady there called Sally whilst Jack flies around Earth doing his work. Surviving aliens christened Scavs are another threat to the machines.Their job is almost done, and Titan beckons. But Jack can't quite let go of Earth. He has a secret he keeps from Victoria. He has the aforementioned dreams. Plus two of them had a mandatory memory wipe before their work started.Jack's work and travels lead him to suspect a few hidden truths...This is not an easy movie to review without spoilers, since there's obviously more going here than meets the eye. It does take a long time to establish itself, but Tom Cruise is a capable leading man, and the visual scenery of empty landscapes and shattered buildings are so stunning that time watching this passes very nicely. Also the images of Jack and Victoria in their tower living their lives above the clouds does offer some memorable shots.Plot does gradually develop though. Some very good surprises await. Although I did see one coming seconds before it happened. And it did look for a moment as if this was going to be similar to a certain other science fiction movie of the past four years. But it does go in a somewhat different direction.None of that will prepare you for the next and much more shocking surprise, though.There are long character moments, but as mentioned these all pass very nicely. Some excellent flying action scenes. Other action does come along in due course.This does ask some of the big questions about humanity and identity, and does it in an interesting manner. It also makes you think a few things about the planet on which you live as well.It's possibly a little overlong, but it's a quietly moving bit of science fiction with some excellent acting, which it will stay with you for a while after. Well worth a look.The dvd has the following language and subtitle options:Languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish.Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portugese, Swedish.It begins with several trailers but you can skip them via the next button on the dvd remote. Added to which, the icon at the bottom of the opening screen prior to the trailers which asks you to select a country should also take you straight to the main menu.There are no extras at all on the dvd. It also has one of those menus that just uses icons with no text.The dvd box contains a flyer with a website address from which you can download a copy of the film onto a digital device, and a code which will allow you to do that when input onto said site.The dvd packaging is of the usual style and will stand up quite nicely and fit onto your shelves with no problems. It does also display the name of the film on the spine. Given all the comments about the blu ray packaging, that seemed to be worth mentioning.

Set in a future, post-apocalyptic world, there are many unexpected twists and turns in this plot - and the Baddies aren't necessarily who you think they are! A good ending - Highly recommended!

Well thought out film and highly recommend it, must have watch it a few times now and each time I think I have caught something I missed the last time... also great one liners.