Film Review – Oblivion

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Screenplay: Karl Gajdusek and Michael de Bruyn
Cast: Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman
Genre: Science Fiction
Ratings:****

Oblivion is a new-generation science fiction film telling the story of how the earth is systematically destroyed by extraterrestrial beings (aliens), called Scavs. The aliens first attacked earth by destroying the moon, causing earthquakes and tsunamis. The humans have apparently won the war but they can no longer stay on earth because of the destruction it has suffered, therefore the humans have relocated to Saturn’s moon, Titan. But the only problem is that Titan does not have the same energies for humans to be able to survive on it.
This is where Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and Victoria “Vika” Olsen (Andrea Riseborough) come in. They are the only humans left on Earth to protect the offshore generators from the Scavs who still roam the mother planet. These energy installations are generating power for the colonists on Titan. Jack and Vika’s memories have been erased, they are instructed by mission controller Sally (Melissa Leo), who checks up on them regularly to see how they are doing. There are also machines called Drones that help Jack protect the generators.

But eventually Jack senses that there is something out of place and he keeps on dreaming about a women and he misses the days when Earth was as it was, and believes that it can still be saved. But unfortunately Vika is all about following orders and following the rules. The tide turns when a spacecraft crashes on Earth with humans on board, but the Drones kill them. As fate would have it, Jack manages to save one human, the women who always haunts his dreams Julia (Olga Kurylenko). Unbeknownst to Jack, Julia is his wife. Jack and Vika nurse her to health, but Julia refuses to divulge what her mission was. Julia and Jack go back to the crashed spacecraft to secure the flight recorder, but they get captured by the Scavs, for them only to find out that the Scavs are humans too and the aliens are the controlling force they are taking orders from.
Oblivion is a well-made film. The cinematography depicts exactly how I would picture Earth after life is destroyed, desert like, drab and windy. Tom as usual, is always perfect in every role that he plays. He also makes the supporting actors look good and brings out the best in them. He makes acting look so easy.
The film might seem boring at first because there is only interaction between two people, but even this interaction is interesting and very intense. Eventually more players come in, just be patient. This film has everything in it, it has action, thriller, mystery, romance, and humour, I can go on and on. Therefore everyone will enjoy that it has a happy ending, which was actually a very nice surprise for me. Even though I have never been a science fiction fan, I  recommend everyone to rent Oblivion and watch it. It is a well rounded science fiction film and if you can just stretch your mind to include the possibility of a post-apocalyptic earth, then this is an excellent portrayal of such conditions.