The tagline for Edge of Tomorrow reads: Live, Die, Repeat. This is basically a sci-fi version of Groundhog Day minus Bill Murray and the groundhog. This latest Tom Cruise film has him playing Major William Cage, a military public relations guy who’s job is to sell to the public the war that’s being waged in Europe against an alien invasion. What Cage doesn’t know, was that part of “selling” this war would be him fighting on the front line. When he refuses, he is arrested, apparently drugged and wakes up on the front line. When he and his entire squad get massacred, he wakes up relives the day over and over again. Sound familiar? Warning, spoilers ahead…
In order to find out why his day keeps repeating itself, Cage must locate Rita Vrataski (played by Emily Blunt) also known as the “Angel of Verdum”, for her victories against the poorly named alien invaders, called “mimics”. I’m sorry, if they’re called mimics, shouldn’t they have the ability to mimic something to warrant such a name? But I digress.
As it turns out Cage’s blood is the key to his constant repeating of days. How or why? Can’t begin to tell you. It also turns out that Rita at one time had such a power. Which could explain why she had developed such a reputation as a fierce warrior. She’s lived and died through this war many times over like Cage now.
Director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith), does a good enough job and EoTis a visual delight. It just reminds me too much of a video game with its multiple lives and memory game of where and when the enemy attacks etc. At the end of the day, with its constant and eventually wearing out of its live, die and repeat scenario, EoT is ok at best and just short of being good.
The highlight of the film by far is Blunt. She is very good and believable in her role as a spear wielding heroine. Unfortunately, this is Cruise’s film and she has to take a back seat to his heroics. It would have been a pleasant and less predictable surprise if in the end the “Angel of Verdum” would be the “Angel of Planet Earth”.
*** (out of 5 stars)
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
The Dork Knight
