Edge of Tomorrow (All You Need Is Kill)

Say what you will about Tom Cruise, I still like him as an actor. Even though they're at varying degrees I rather enjoy most of Tom Cruise's films. I really liked the last MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. Unlike most people, I thought JACK REACHER was really good. I also though OBLIVION was a terrific Sci-Fi movie that was just marketed wrong. But what I really liked about EDGE OF TOMORROW is is has Tom Cruise doing something he hasn't really had to do in a while: act. 

Typically Tom Cruise just comes out of the gates as a bad ass in his movies. He knows how to fight, fly, drive, get away from pursuers, you name it. But in EOT, he starts out as a coward. He starts off as a guy who is OK with talking people into going to war but is too much of a wimp to go into battle himself. But when he gets transferred to Europe to be underneath the General of a different country, he's basically given no other choice. This is a side of Cruise we don't see really at all anymore. What's great about it is that we get to see the progress of him going form this coward to the badass Tom that we're used to seeing. And because of this arc he's much more endearing and relatable. 

Taking place in a future not exactly specified, this alien species called "Mimics" attack Europe. Through a series of brief TV broadcasts and news reports you get enough exposition to be up to speed. Aliens attack, they're ruthless, shit's bad, Emily Blunt is a badass, cool soldier suits, major attack that will either win us the war or doom everyone. Pretty basic alien invasion plot. The unique thing about EOT is the time travel bit. 

Basically all you need to know is that in the battle, Cage (played by Tom Cruise) accidentally hijacks the Mimic's ability to reset the day when they die. At first it sounds like an awesome idea. But even before watching the movie I started thinking how this was going to work. How do we kill them if they're going to reset the day and they can adjust what they do accordingly? If Cage now has that power, where's the tension and sense of urgency? Are we going to have to see the exact same thing over and over again and get tired of it all? In a lesser movie, these would have been problems. Thankfully all these are taken care of. The movie explains enough so these concerns I had going into the movie were not a problem. 

When Cage resets the day, Director Doug Limam (MR AND MRS SMITH, THE BOURNE IDENTITY) only has us experience the important parts of the day. After a while, the resets will almost jump us back to the exact moment Cage died the previous attempt. It sort of brings this video game aspect to the movie that was a lot of fun -- sort of reminiscent of SOURCE CODE. And this leads to Cage being killed A LOT! But thankfully, very early into this, the movie introduces a rule that makes it so Cage isn't immortal. Best of all, it doesn't feel like it's cheating, either. It fits in the context of how he got this "power" in the first place. The movie then becomes Cage and Rita (Emily Blunt) working together, mostly through trial and error, to figure out a way to end the war. 

Doug Liman knows how to make entertaining action. The BOURNE IDENTITY and MR. AND MRS. SMITH had a lot of really cool set pieces. Even with as bad of a movie JUMPER was, Liman still gave that movie some memorable moments in its action. EOT wants you to see what's going on. The director and DP framed every moment of action wide enough to catch everything worth seeing while getting close enough to allow the actors express their emotions. 

I was never bored watching EOT. It takes about 15 minutes or so to get to the first battle setting up characters and the situation. But once the battle starts, the movie doesn't let up until the end. For a movie that's almost 2 hours long, it hardly feels it. It doesn't waste its time with silly things like a romantic subplot. Sure, you see Cage getting closer to Rita with every death. Even Rita does show layers to her no-nonsense persona. But it doesn't go as far to let these characters forget what's really important: winning the war. 

EDGE OF TOMORROW doesn't do a whole lot new or anything groundbreaking. It has a simple story it wants to tell with a little gimmick to make itself stand out. And it does what it sets out to do almost flawlessly. My only complaints would be that almost all of the characters outside of Cage and Rita are one dimensional and forgettable, the aliens don't really have any motivations except "take over the world," and the title of the novella is way cooler (All You Need Is Kill). Other than that, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EDGE OF TOMORROW to everyone.