A review of Oblivion through the eye's of a fanboy!

A note from Fangirls.

Our good friend Dan, a fellow movie buff, loved Oblivion so much that he wrote a great review and Fangirl Adventures wanted to share it with you. Check out Oblivion through the eye's of a fanboy!

                                         Oblivion:

 

The Perfect Way to Start off the Summer Movie Season

From the first trailer I saw the look of Oblivion had me hooked.  I will admit, however,  that I was very skeptical at first.  It seems of late that has become my natural reaction to film in general.  I find myself constantly wondering “will this be worth my time and money?”  I feel that the industry is suffering from big budget filler movies that are designed to reap profits more than entertain.  I was so severely disappointed with almost every theatrical release that I saw last year that I have been avoiding the medium altogether.  Oblivion was exactly what I needed to remind myself that magic can still happen in the theaters.

Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) sets up the introduction and give us all the information we need to know as a viewer for the rest of the story to unfold.  I was completely compelled to watch as the events played out.  We almost learn the story in parallel with Jack.  The most refreshing thing about Oblivion is that the story is not overly complex or convoluted.  We are given just enough information to understand the world and it’s rules without being bogged down by technical explanations and plot holes, unlike last year’s Prometheus.  In my mind it was a similar approach to Jurassic Park in which a well placed 3 minute cartoon made me whole heartedly believe that John Hammond could create dinosaurs.  I was completely on board the entire time, straight through to the end credits.    

Visually Oblivion is stunning.  At a time where many films rely heavily on CG (Oz the Great and Powerful), Oblivion manages to create a very believable post apocalyptic world.  I was never once pulled out of the movie due to the CG being to artificial.  Everything looked completely organic, I had to remind myself occasionally that I was not looking at practical effects.  Oblivion in a sense is the yang to Tron: Legacy’s dark and foreboding aesthetic look.  Beautiful landscapes and bright and pristine environments grace the screen the majority of the time.  I personally thought the costumes, weapons, and vehicles were all very unique and believable.  I really wish that Jack’s ship was real.  I haven’t wanted anything that bad since a lightsaber.

I felt that all of the acting was right on.  I’m trying not to divulge too much of the story in this review so I’ll leave the character and their relationships out for the time being. 

It would be a crime not to mention the score which complements the film throughout.  There was no particular theme or overture which stood out, however, I felt like each piece of music was expertly crafted for each scene.  Overall it was very reminiscent of Tron: Legacy, but held onto its own identity.  The electronic instrumentation worked perfectly for this film.

There were moments where I was mesmerized by the beautiful visuals, moments when my jaw dropped during incredibly choreographed action sequences, times when I laughed at perfectly placed humor, and times where my pulse raced with the booming score.  The whole experience left me fearful that the movie was going to end.