Edge of Tomorrow

I finally had a chance to go see this movie today. I had meant to when it first came out, and I wish I had so that I could have properly endorsed it.

This movie was great!

Tom Cruise is at it again with an action movie that is a mix of Battle: Los Angeles, Mass Effect, and Groundhog Day. Edge of Tomorrow is great entertainment from every angle. There is plenty of action, mixed with a little drama, some romance, and (if you are a little twisted) the humour is often a sudden shock implanted in several quick scenes sure to leave you smiling.

Special FX were fantastic. It was refreshing to see an alien that wasn't a typical evil killer. This alien menace reminded me a lot of the Mass Effect game franchise, and that is a good thing.

The only two critiques I might have are minor, and I am not sure there would have been time in the film to explore either one of them anyway. First is a psychological analysis of Cage (and possibly Rita as well). After all, any human being going through the endless live-die-repeat cycle would be bound to begin developing some kind of mental issues...wouldn't they? Or maybe it could quickly be explained away by the fact that only a strong mind and willpower would have been able to make the reoccurring time jump in the first place...?

The second is the ending, which seemed too much of a perfect ending. Don't get me wrong, I liked the ending as it was! Good choices. It just may have been nice to see a little bit of a darker ending that isn't a stereotypical "and we all live happily ever after". (I have several ideas on what might have made better endings...I may save that for another blog post another day.)

Overall, I can find no fault in acting, directing, costuming, make up....from every facet it is a great film. Yes, you do need to suspend some disbelief, after all it is a Science Fiction story so that should go without saying, however this story is presented in a way that lets it remain believable.

Special kudos go out to:

Bill Paxton - his role as the Sergeant in charge was brilliant! Thank you for the grins!

Tom Cruise - from beginning to end, a treat. It was nice to see that this man was pretty much an ordinary joe who learned how to be a soldier, rather than the invincible agent from the start.

Emily Blunt - you played the character so well, it was seamless, flawless. Bravo! I think your stance with your weapons and armour fully loaded was one of the best pictures reminiscent of Mass Effect (one of the best video games to ever grace video screens world wide).

Brendan Gleeson - you must have been in the military at some point before! Strong, confident, uncompromising, just what a military general would need to be. I couldn't help but hear a bit of Mad-Eye Moody in your lines, but for the role I think it fit.

Noah Taylor - not a major role in time on-screen, but a major role to help progress the plot and fully explain the details of the depth of the war the planet was in. Great portrayal of the "mad" scientist who isn't really all that mad. I think the movie could have used this character more.

If you have not seen this film, stop reading this and go, go right now, and buy it! It's worth the watch.