Review of Edge of Tomorrow (2014) by David H — 16 Dec 2015

Don't be fooled. This may look like just another Tom Cruise-fighting-aliens film, but it's not. It's sharp, suspenseful, well-paced, funny, and best of all, Tom's back to being the movie star we once weren't embarrassed to say we liked.

Based on the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill, the plot is War of the Worlds meets Groundhog Day. It tells the story of Major William Cage (Cruise), a military propagandist who encourages people to sign up and join the unwinnable fight against the Mimics - space aliens with dreads of steel - who have taken control of Europe. Cage, a wimp, has absolutely no intention of joining the battle himself and when he refuses a direct order to cover the war from the front lines he is stripped of his rank, branded a deserter, and dumped into the infantry about to join the invasion. He is killed very quickly but then finds himself in a time loop where he is forced to relive the same day over and over. With the help of Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), a military heroine who has experienced the same time phenomenon, Cage finds his courage and skills and devises a plan to defeat the alien enemy.

Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) directs with energy and intellect. The Groundhog aspect of the story could easily have been tedious but it's very cleverly exploited and sustained. Similarly the burgeoning love story could've been a wet, predictable distraction from the main game but it's delicately handled with no whiff of schmalz - again, something we've come to expect of so many of Tom's films. The third act is slightly less impressive than the rest of the film but it does what it has to do and is ultimately forgivable.

Screenwriters Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, editor James Herbert and cinematographer Dion Beebe all deserve high praise. There really isn't a dull moment in the film. It continues to surprise throughout and it looks fantastic.

Cruise is perfect in this role. The smarmy P.R. dude is the Cruise that gives us the creeps and we're not expected to like this character. But as the untrained soldier dropped out of a plane into the thick of a bloody battle, we totally empathise with him; who wouldn't be shit scared? We duck and weave with him through the chaos on the Normandy beach trying to stay alive and when he suffers his gruesome demise it's both shocking and funny. And it is the humour of this piece that keeps it fresh and entertaining.

Liman has also been very canny in casting Emily Blunt opposite Cruise. If Blunt never made another film post The Devil Wears Prada I'd still rate her as a brilliant perceptive performer, but she has gone on to prove again and again that she can sensitively inhabit a character and make it her own and she does that again here. Vrataski is strong without being butch. Vulnerable without being weak. Blunt and Cruise have real chemistry and play off each other well. They're also aided by a fine cast of supports including Aussies Noah Taylor and Kick Gurry, as well as Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson.

Despite very positive reviews, Edge of Tomorrow came in third at the U.S. box office on its opening weekend with a relatively weak $29 million, beaten by teen weepy The Fault In Our Stars ($48 m) and Disney's Maleficent in its second week ($34 m). The Tom Cruise brand has undoubtedly suffered significant damage by jumping on couches, the revelations about his weirdo cult religion and some poor film choices. But whatever you think of the man, Tom Cruise the actor has genuine, rare screen presence. So many young male stars today merely trade on their super hero costume and some CGI effects. But they're not stars in the true sense of the word. Cruise is and Edge of Tomorrow may go some way to bringing some sparkle back to his credibility. I hope so.