By Renee’ Collins
Rating: 4.5 (Out of 5 Reels)
To be honest I was not at all sure what to expect from this film because I thought it was going to be another Tom Cruise testosterone fest but I was pleasantly surprised. A veteran, Jack (Tom Cruise) assigned to extract Earth’s remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself (IMDB).
I must say that this film is visually stunning because obviously Universal studios spared no expense in regards to the special effects; they are spectacular. I believe those effects add another dimension to this film in a way because the world they create is beautiful even in the midst of the devastation. Everything from where the main characters live to what they wear and even what they eat is meticulous and given a Spartan elegance and polished look.
Surprisingly, Cruise is the least Cruise in this film because he is just a person seemingly doing a job that needs to be done because it is for the benefit of the remaining humans after aliens have destroyed the Moon and attacked Earth. It is refreshing to see Cruise in this type of subdued role rather than what he usually does. Mention should also be made of Olga Kurylenko (Julia) and Andrea Riseborough (Victoria) the main female characters because they also add to the depth of this film.
The only negative thing I have to say about this film is its length. Why do most blockbuster films these days feel the need to be two hours or more in length? This one is two hours and five minutes and it doesn’t have to be because it they shaved off about half an hour it would move more quickly and only make this film better. However, it is still a good film and well worth seeing it in an IMAX theater.