The Film

Just because Edge of Tomorrow had the box office snot beaten out of it by The Fault in Our Stars does not mean it wasn’t amazing. It had all the makings of a summer blockbuster – action and aliens. Sure, it was a rehashing of everything we’ve already seen before, but in a delightfully original way. We’ve seen robotic suits that turn humans into fighting machines, we’ve seen alien invasions, and we’ve seen the Groundhog Day concept, but never all in one movie.

Aliens have invaded! It’s the attack of the “mimics” and humans are fighting for their very survival. This futuristic saga is based on the Japanese novel, All You Need is Kill.  Starring Tom Cruise as military PR man Major William Cage, he’s the charismatic face on the talk show circuit “selling” the military and encouraging new recruits. He’s never seen a real battle and doesn’t intend to. All of that changes when he meets General Brigham (Brendan Gleeson, Gangs of New York) who orders him to storm the beach with the first wave of troops. Arrested as a deserter after refusing orders, Major Cage finds himself demoted and exactly where he didn’t want to be: the battlefield. This is when the fun begins.

Cage learns firsthand about those robotic exoskeleton suits he’s been hyping up and proves just how worthless an untrained soldier can be. Lumbering about in the robotic suit, begging his new colleagues to take the safety off, Cage went into battle weaponless. That initial helplessness made for a truly terrifying ordeal. And then he dies… and immediately wakes up one day earlier. Where everything happens exactly as it did before. Each time he dies he wakes up on the same day and events unfold exactly as they did before with only his actions as the variable. Think Groundhog Day. Confusing for him at first, it proves to be a comprehensible ordeal that might just prove valuable in the fight against the invading aliens.

Seeing Tom Cruise falter through his own incompetence lent the actor a vulnerable charm not often seen in his characters. It wasn’t the brash know-it-all character we’ve come to expect from this actor. Instead he acted the same way I might if I were suddenly thrust into battle, creating an instantly identifiable character. Watching this character use his almost endlessly repeated day to train and eventually master the art of combat is a true joy.

Tom Cruise can be hit or miss with the general movie going public yet this might be the perfect movie to gain Mr. Cruise some additional credibility. He sure seems to have this sci-fi action genre down! Not only does he do a superb job but he dies a zillion different ways. Whether he’s shot, run over or blown up there’s humor in seeing someone die so many times so many ways, and the screenwriters have used that angle well. His trigger happy partner, Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada) might agree as she’s quick to kill him when things aren’t going their way.

Rita is the face of the military after scoring a major win in Verdun, which earned her the moniker “Angel of Verdun.” She’s the only one with any insight into what Cage is going through. She takes him under her wing and together they create an endlessly entertaining duo to watch. As Rita, Emily Blunt is an energetic breath of fresh air. With her no-nonsense attitude and dirt smudged face she effortlessly holds her own on-screen with Cruise. For once the female lead isn’t just arm candy or the damsel-in-distress, she’s a battle hardened warrior determined to do whatever it takes to win this war. She isn’t afraid to die. And she refuses to lose. William Cage more or less rides the coattails of her moxie until he finds his own.

Directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) and written by Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) this action packed sci-fi thriller won’t disappoint. Chock-full of dark comedy this is a summer must-see. Between this and Oblivion, Tom Cruise is quickly getting back on track — he’s picking some smart projects to put his name on.

VIDEO QUALITY

[Rating:5/5]

A visual explosion of perfection, Edge of Tomorrow comes in an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. Despite the war torn look of the film, the visual quality is stunning even in the most desolate of scenes. The heart pounding action scenes are presented with flawless clarity, the details are amazing from each grain of sand, gritty smudge and flecks of blood flying through the air. The close ups truly dazzle with detail. This film is rich with a living texture, every mouth twitch, eye crinkle, explosion and bloody wound is introduced with vivid clarity. This film shows off convincing visual effects, with clean edges and nice delineation. The deep black levels, authentic looking skin tones along with well balanced contrast and saturation all make this a beautiful film to watch.

AUDIO QUALITY

[Rating:5/5]

Edge of Tomorrow features a stunning DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. Offering an immersive experience, this pulls the audience in. You’ll feel as if you’re in the midst of the war, fighting battles and dodging explosions. My pulse raced as my body tensed with anticipation – I was completely submerged in an alternate universe thanks to the enveloping nature of the film. Incredibly effective in a home theater set-up, this sound track can is vital component of the experience, effortlessly drawing the audience in. Ambience is well played while there is an abundance of activity for the rear speaker and LFE output. The chaos is acutely represented; from the alien life forms to the dying soldiers there is no mistaking this action packed war. Dialogue is clean and clear while the score frequently adds to the emotional emphasis. Overall this is a fantastic audio mix!

SPECIAL FEATURES

[Rating:3/5]

• Operation Downfall: Adrenaline Cut — A high octane deleted scene
• Weapons of the Future — Cast and crew talk about the body suits, the creation, engineering and functionality. Intercut with scenes from the movie to show the weaponized suit in action.
• Creatures Not of This World — Cast and crew talk about the visual effects, how the three types of aliens were created. Featuring a behind the scenes glimpse of the concept art and the thinking that created it.
• On the Edge with Doug Liman — Funny inside look at what director Doug Liman goes through to direct a film with Tom Cruise. Plenty of behind-the-scenes footage featuring Liman as he creates Edge of Tomorrow, along with a myriad of cast and crew perspectives chronicling how it all came together. This is one of the more interesting special features, done in a documentary like style.
• Deleted Scenes

Aurora Snow Says

OVERALL:

[Rating:4.5/5]

Great sci-fi action thriller! This movie offers a fun premise, with flawless high def visuals and a story that’s sure to win you over. This is one summer blockbuster you should own.

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