Is it wrong I consider myself a fan of Tom Cruise? Sure, his personal life is a touch, um, unconventional. Agreed, his teeth do not line up with the centerline of his facial features but one can hardly complain about his acting ability. Though traditionally a similar character, there is no doubt he also has some significant range and I looked forward to seeing Cruise and co-star Emily Blunt in another scifi action vehicle, Edge of Tomorrow.
Based on some weird combination of Groundhog Day, Source Code, and any alien invasion flick in recent history, Edge of Tomorrow took me by surprise. But in the good, “I just found $100 in the parking lot” — not the, “That rash is getting much worse,” kinda way. I found the plot both familiar yet unpredictable. The groundhog-day-effect was done remarkably well, with some tongue-in-cheek, laugh-out-loud moments of satisfaction. The comprehensive CGI was expertly rendered with believable combats scenes both of a micro and macro level. Allow me to pause on the CGI for a moment. When I say, “expertly rendered” I mean it was so perfectly done, one has trouble pulling solid object from virtual creation. Not only that but all the CGI was believable — machines, troops, gadgets, and scenery were woven into the tapestry of real life and I found myself thinking, “Sure, that could exist.”
Though the concept of alien invasion is nothing new, how it was accomplished in Edge of Tomorrow brought a fresh angle. The plot continued to run with at an edge-of-your-seat kind of pace, carrying the viewer to an fascinating conclusion. All in all, I found the film a throughly enjoyable experience (I plunked down the cash for two theater viewings) and rate it a rock solid 8 of 10.