A note from Fangirls.
Oblivion:
The Perfect Way to Start off the Summer Movie Season
From the first trailer I saw the look of Oblivion had me
hooked. I will admit, however, that I was very skeptical at first.
It seems of late that has become my natural reaction to film in general.
I find myself constantly wondering “will this be worth my time and
money?” I feel that the industry is suffering from big budget filler
movies that are designed to reap profits more than entertain. I was so
severely disappointed with almost every theatrical release that I saw last year
that I have been avoiding the medium altogether. Oblivion was exactly
what I needed to remind myself that magic can still happen in the theaters.
Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) sets up the introduction and give
us all the information we need to know as a viewer for the rest of the story to
unfold. I was completely compelled to watch as the events played
out. We almost learn the story in parallel with Jack. The most
refreshing thing about Oblivion is that the story is not overly complex or
convoluted. We are given just enough information to understand the world
and it’s rules without being bogged down by technical explanations and plot holes,
unlike last year’s Prometheus. In my mind it was a similar approach to
Jurassic Park in which a well placed 3 minute cartoon made me whole heartedly
believe that John Hammond could create dinosaurs. I was completely on
board the entire time, straight through to the end credits.
Visually Oblivion is stunning. At a time where many
films rely heavily on CG (Oz the Great and Powerful), Oblivion manages to
create a very believable post apocalyptic world. I was never once pulled
out of the movie due to the CG being to artificial. Everything looked
completely organic, I had to remind myself occasionally that I was not looking
at practical effects. Oblivion in a sense is the yang to Tron: Legacy’s
dark and foreboding aesthetic look. Beautiful landscapes and bright and
pristine environments grace the screen the majority of the time. I
personally thought the costumes, weapons, and vehicles were all very unique and
believable. I really wish that Jack’s ship was real. I haven’t
wanted anything that bad since a lightsaber.
I felt that all of the acting was right on. I’m trying
not to divulge too much of the story in this review so I’ll leave the character
and their relationships out for the time being.
It would be a crime not to mention the score which
complements the film throughout. There was no particular theme or
overture which stood out, however, I felt like each piece of music was expertly
crafted for each scene. Overall it was very reminiscent of Tron: Legacy,
but held onto its own identity. The electronic instrumentation worked
perfectly for this film.
There were moments where I was mesmerized by the beautiful
visuals, moments when my jaw dropped during incredibly choreographed action
sequences, times when I laughed at perfectly placed humor, and times where my
pulse raced with the booming score. The whole experience left me fearful
that the movie was going to end.
