Oblivion (IMAX)

Science-fiction Cruise control

                            He didn't realise that he signed a contract for TWO 'Rock of Ages' films...

DIRECTOR: Joseph Kosinski

CAST: Ethan Hunt, Nelson Mandela, the Bond girl that didn't get laid, Jamie Lannister, Mark Wahlberg's and Christian Bale's mum and The Devil's Whore...

PLOT: A memory wiped 'JACK!' (Tom Cruise) is a tech stationed on Earth who fixes broken somewhat more violent 'R2-D2's' a few decades after the planet was invaded and by 'Scavs', meaning that humanity had to evacuate and live on some big spaceship thing. Him and his crazy, commando-braving lover (Andrea Riseborough) are extracting water for the survivors of Earth's invasion who are waiting to inhabit a new home. But not all is what it seems...

Jack. JACK! JAAAAAAACK!!!!! J-Jack! Jaaaa-aaaaack. Jack! JACK!!!! Jake!... erm, I mean, Jack!

Ohhhhh, Jack.

Such is the borrowing that goes on in Joseph Kosinski's second feature-length that he even gives his protagonist one of the most common male names in the western world. Not only that, but he also takes ideas from substantially better science-fiction films, such as '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Planet of the Apes' and 'Moon', just to name a few. It plays like a remix of a remake of some of the best science-fiction films ever made. But in saying that, it's still damn entertaining.

'Jack!', whose name is said in the dialogue so many times that you'll forget that there's any other name in existence, is a man who believes that Earth is his home, for some weird reason, not looking forward to the day too soon when he has to leave to join the rest of humanity due to the Moon being destroyed by 'Scavs' and the use of nuclear weapons making much of Earth radiated. It looks like a more beautiful version of the 'Fallout' games, which isn't too surprising as Kosinski, famous for bringing us the stunningly visual, albeit style over substance, that is 'Tron: Legacy'.

And that is Kosinski's big problem. The story would be a cracking one if it wasn't a mixture of so many other sci-fi's. His use of SFX is wonderful, the bland colours still make the doomsday landscapes look gorgeous and the action sequences are shot impressively. When it comes to filmmaking, Kosinski is a treat. But when it comes to giving us fresh insight to a genre that has recently become cool thanks to perhaps J.J. Abrams' 'Star Trek' reboot and 'The Big Bang Theory', those of us who stood by science fiction before everyone else became interested still crave more. Style is important, but as Kubrick, Schaffner, and more recently Jones and Blomkamp have taught us, substance is valued higher by sic-fi nerds.

The performances are good for the most part. You know what you're getting with Tom Cruise - his charismatic mannerisms, confident voice and handsome demeanour have made it as if he's become a parody of himself, but fans of his won't be disappointed. As always, where he really excels is when it comes to the action scenes, completely throwing himself into it head first. Say what you want about Tom Cruise, nobody can doubt his optimism and enthusiasm.

Morgan Freeman is annoyingly under-used considering that he features on the poster and is fronted second-behind Tom Cruise in the marketing campaign. Still, it's not as much a kick in the teeth as Gary Oldman's lack of featuring in 'Lawless'. At least he still has something to do. 

Andrea Riseborough is probably the most pleasantly surprising of the impressive cast. She's annoying, overly defensive and lacks ambition and adventure for someone living so far above ground as 'Victoria'. She's wholly unlikable and certainly not the sort of person who you would want to be stranded on Earth with. I don't know if that's just the way Riseborough comes across, as an annoying bitch, but she does it well.

Olga Kurylenko is similar to much of the rest of the film - she's simply ok, simply adequate. The fact that she was probably cast for being extremely gorgeous, once again, much like the rest of the film, can't be overlooked. But at least we're treated to Jamie Lanniser jumping around shooting spherical floating hunks of metal with a bow and arrow.

  

                       "You have to do ANOTHER 'Rock of Ages'?! Kurylenko couldn't quite believe it either

One thing that definitely let the film down was the trailers. Anyone who watched any of the advertisements and paid the very least bit of attention will find the film painfully predictable. All of the drama and emotion laid into the revelations seems wasted as we sit on the cinema seats in smugness thinking 'yeah, I knew that'. Trailers seem to have become even more of an art form in itself lately, but when they begin to give away twists of the plot in a film that relies on 'who? what? where? and why?' then you know you have a big problem. 

There are plot holes galore, especially when it comes to the 'Scavs' and the way that they fucking dress which will probably make you want to tear your hair out. The writers of the film seem convinced that they have given you an elaborate and logical reason as to why things are the way they are, but after a minute of half-concentrated though you'll out-smart the characters on show. 

But where this review has come across as being exceedingly negative, it still remains as a very juicy piece of entertainment. The action sequences are superb and you'll struggle to find a more aesthetically pleasing film so far this year. You'll laugh at how serious it takes itself, trying to throw all of its intelligence and creativity at you despite the fact that said intelligence and creativity has been stolen. It comes across as being very camp popcorn fodder. And considering Kosinski has stated that this is a homage to science fiction films of the 70s, I suppose he got that part right.

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