Movie Review

Edge of Tomorrow

Damn it, Doug Liman. I was counting on you to have the directorial and technical chops to make Tom Cruise’s summer sizzle, but you messed up again by catering to the mainstream. The funny thing is that you actually do have said chops, but you are caving in to studio nonsensicality. The third act is where the problem lies here. After a thought-provoking first half, this film devolves into the same brainless shoot-‘em-up CGI action sequences that have made you want to kill yourself in the movie theater so many times before. It’s kind of like how Emily Blunt keeps killing Tom Cruise in order to reset the events of the story. I wanted to reset this movie and take it out of the filthy hands of Hollywood producers and their uncreative kin.

Another thing I didn’t buy was exactly how this story is taking place at all. It’s a thing where a character keeps waking up at the same moment and repeating the same day over and over, but in this presentation it didn’t feel organic. I understand that they explain it through the powers of the enemy they are fighting, but Groundhog Day – which had no real explanation for what was going on – actually felt more realistic and grounded. Now, I recognize the difference between a small-town comedy and a whiz-bang summer action flick, but no matter what the story may be, it has to feel right. Edge of Tomorrow feels a little bit off. There’s a little too much artifice to such scenes as when they meet with the General in front of his large bank of TV screens, or when the standard third-act climax is going on and they are shooting zillions of rounds at computer-generated too-fast moving squid monsters. It just needed more of a kick in the pants, maybe of the Nolan-esque variety.

Let’s talk about what worked. Emily Blunt is a real firecracker without even trying. They don’t even try to make her look hot and yet she’s still hot. John Krasinski is a bad mofo; he even got her pregnant by the time this film started shooting. She isn’t the most bad-ass heroine to ever appear on screen, but she definitely creates a desire for connection. Cruise sticks his landing as usual. He’s not amazing, but he’s a high-level professional actor and delivers on the promise of his paycheck every time. The final shot of him smiling his big toothy grin is cornball supreme. The initial large battle sequence is a real treat in 3D, and I like how the narrative twists back upon itself in creative ways. So many movies suffer from third-act/second-half failure that I can’t fault this one in any extreme way.

I can’t fully recommend that you pay top dollar to see this, but it is absolutely acceptable streaming or matinee fare. It may be a major disappointment for the studio and investors, but in the age of stupidity we live in, it is not a prime offender. You’ll have to wait for Transformers for that.

Scott's Grade: C+

A	15.1%
B	59.2%
C	24.5%
D	1.2%
F	0.0%