Oblivion **½ (PG-13) As post-Apocalyptic sci-fi adventures go, this one’s a solid bet, and a near-miss to something special. In the late 21st Century, Earth has been invaded by aliens who were only repulsed by nuking the planet, leaving it uninhabitable for decades. A handful of humans are left to oversee our elaborate revitalization equipment. That includes defending it from bands of alien "Scavs" trying to sabotage the project. Orders are beamed down from Sally (Melissa Leo) in an orbiting command center. Jack and Victoria (Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough) are the team of field ops whose memories were wiped to keep them from divulging secrets if captured. They’re two weeks away from the end of their tour, with the promise of transit to our new colony on Titan. Or maybe not.
The complicated plot serves up a number of surprises for Cruise, leading to plenty of stunning action sequences, as the fight for survival of our species rages on many fronts. Writer-director Joseph Kosinski, whose only other feature was another CG opus, Tron: Legacy, shows a stellar eye for crafting settings and futuristic accessories, and a deft hand at choreographing high-tech battles and chases. His script is also relatively cohesive for such fare. For proof of quality, Morgan Freeman fills a small, yet significant, role. Either he don’t do bad movies, or he makes them better; or some of each. When was the last time you saw him in a turkey? Cruise also serves well as the hero, though it’s pretty much a rehash of what he’s done in a slew of other adrenaline flicks. The fact that he’s still so youthful and athletic at 50 is either admirable or aggravating, depending on your perspective.
The film’s biggest flaws are its excesses. 125 minutes of running time needlessly diluted the story’s punch. The exposition grew repetitive; several scenes, including the climactic clash and epilog, could easily have been trimmed without losing any of the meat or message; the score was overly ponderous. The net result of timid editing and orchestral excess was an escapist thrillfest that takes itself too seriously. If you go, try for the biggest screen in reach. Kosinski’s visuals are the real star. (4/19/13)