Edge of Tomorrow Review, Photos, and Promo. You Can't Keep a Good Man Dead.

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Running Time: 113 minutes

Directed by: Doug Liman

Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, and Brendan Gleeson

Rating: ★★★★★

“Come find me when you wake up.” – Rita Vrataski

Tom Cruise as Major Bill Cage

When I first heard about Edge of Tomorrow, I couldn’t wait to see it. After all, the movie stars one of my favorite actors, Tom Cruise. While Cruise has delighted me in such movies as Cocktail, Jerry Maguire, The Color of Money, and Rain Man, I enjoy his acting in action movies even more. Come on, who didn’t love him in the Mission: Impossible franchise, War of the Worlds, or more recently, Rock of Ages and Oblivion? Now, we have Edge of Tomorrow—originally known as All You Need is Kill, based on the book of the same name—where Cruise, as Major Bill Cage, finds himself caught in a time loop during a war with an alien race known as the Mimics. Made up of the Alphas (the fighters) and the Omega (the leader), the Mimics have all but taken over the human race.

I’m sure by now, you’ve heard the comparisons. In essence, this flick is nothing more than Alien meets Robocop meets Groundhog Day. Cruise’s Cage is a combination of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley and Peter Weller’s Robocop, and he must die…and live…over and over, and over again, in order to save the futuristic world from dying. The difference is Cage, unlike Bill Murray’s weatherman Phil in Groundhog Day who learns to become a better man, is learning how to save the world each time he dies.

Brigham is one pissed off general.

The movie begins with Cage, a high-ranking military talking head, going to see General Brigham (Brendan Gleeson) about press for the war but unfortunately, he pisses Brigham off with his cocksure attitude. After having his rank stripped, he’s sent to the front lines under the command of Master Sergeant Farel, brilliantly played by Bill Paxton, to join the brigade that’s leaving to fight the good fight against the Mimics. Only problem is Cage can’t stand the sight of blood, particularly his, and hasn’t a clue how to operate the exo-skeleton he wears. He dies that first day but unexpectedly, wakes up to a soldier barking, “On your feet, maggot!”and Cage’s death returns him to the beginning of the previous day. Along the way, and unsure of what’s happening to him, Cage meets Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), a Special Forces superstar who explains why he is reliving the same day multiple times, something Groundhog Day lacks. Rita experienced the same thing and now, together, they must figure out how to win the war. But, it’s not the ending of the movie that’s important; it’s how Cage and Rita get there. Blunt is terrific in this role, going from hardened soldier to romantic co-star, although the focus of Edge of Tomorrow is not the romance, which, in actuality, is a very small part of the movie. She has whipped herself into superb physical form (think G.I Jane) and fills out that exo-skeleton uniform perfectly.

Despite the look, Paxton is pretty funny in Edge of Tomorrow.

In the beginning, I was amused each time Cage woke up. That’s probably due to Paxton’s comedic turn in the movie. His deadpan face got me each time. But, by the time Cruise’s character awakens a good five times, shall I say, I began to get bored. Sure, each time Cage lives to fight another day, he and Rita learn one more piece of the puzzle to gain victory, and I commend Director Liman for not making these scenes totally repetitive. The best part is seeing Edge of Tomorrow in an IMAX theater; I jumped out of my seat each time a piece of an Alpha unexpectedly came flying through the screen. Those suckers are scary looking! The cinematography is fantastic, and I suppose I should commend Cruise for his ability to act in front of a green screen. I guess I’m just getting a little tired of seeing him in the same old role. By this point in his career, he should be growing, taking on more mature and more challenging roles. Yes, he’s a great action star but isn’t it about time he left that kind of work to someone in their 30s or 40s? Yes, my friends, Mr. Cruise is 51 years old, last I checked.

Rita trains Cage for the war.

Overall, Edge of Tomorrow is a great blockbuster action movie that is visually stunning, entertaining summer fare that reminded me of a video game. Kids especially will enjoy the flick for that reason alone. After all, what kid playing a video game doesn’t want a do over when his player is killed so he can get it right? There are some missteps in the movie, however. The action sequences all happen so fast; it would have been nice to have at least one of them showcasing the hero and heroine slowly avoiding the tenacled monsters, giving us a more detailed sequence. That would add the much-needed intensity the movie lacks. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one time I sat there, biting my nails or hiding behind my fingers because I was scared, and I would have enjoyed that. That said, Edge of Tomorrow is worth seeing although I’d suggest waiting until it comes out on DVD. It’s not worth the price of a movie ticket, unless, of course, you’re a diehard Cruise fan.

Below is the official trailer, in case you haven’t seen it yet.

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!