Edge of Tomorrow

[calzephyr]

We saw Edge of Tomorrow tonight and really liked it. It was an easy movie to get into, despite that I don't really like Tom Cruise. I didn't know anything about it except that it was a science fiction Groundhog Day. Happily it's much more than that, and the restarting plot is played for humorous effect which really took the grim edge off the movie. The tone was similar to Children of Men or something from the Jason Bourne series (it also made me think of Starship Troopers but far less satirical and gleefully violent). The transformation of Cruise's character, Major William Cage, from coward to hero is a good one. I want to read the original book/manga now - All You Need Is Kill - which is probably very different.

It's funny, because I have a half-written review of Pacific Rim on my phone and the two movies have similar plots, yet Pacific Rim was such a flop and poorly made movie in my eyes. It was surprisingly boring for an action movie that promised monsters versus robots. How can anyone possibly screw that up?

The movie didn't work at a camp level, nor did it really work on an action level either. The characters lacked depth and were way too predictable. It's baffling that such a CGI fest could be so beautiful but dull and emotionally empty at the same time. Each frame could have been pulled from a concept artist's portfolio, but yet each is stripped of any fantasy or wonder. The Jaegers looked neat, but are so woefully slow and clumsy that it's confusing as to why they are humanity's only hope. Even operating them is clumsy, as the pilots have no safety protection and flail about like puppets. Clearly, the world's A+ engineers were all in the same building when a kaiju sat on it.

As soon as the voiceover started at the beginning, I knew it was going to be a bad movie. It should have started the moment the hero, Raleigh Becket, is recruited from a construction site. It was a huge mistake to reveal the kaijus up front. Mako's determination to not be treated as a child could have been stronger (and why the heck was Stacker holding on to her one shoe all these years? Wouldn't he have given it back?) but really the only notable thing in the character development department. I'm willing to give a movie a pass and take hand waving and bad science with a grain of salt if it at least entertains, but by the time Mako and Raleigh are off to battle the level 5 kaiju, I was checking my phone and wondering when it would all just ennnnnnnd.

Comments

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Pacific Rim yet, but a lot of movies rub me this way lately, emphasis son effects, not enough story, seldom worth watching twice. at this point they get a bonus point for not being offensive as that too is taken for granted these days. yes, hollywood i love watching a film with a huge humping scene and my closest friends or family next to me.

[calzephyr77.livejournal.com]

Yes, a lot of movies are way too big on effects these days. Transformers 2 struck me as very emotionally empty. There's a part where a certain Transformer died, and I didn't give the quietest hoot, even though I knew how I should feel, I just didn't.

Oh yes, movies can be so awkward! We watched 300 for the first time with my FIL years ago, and there were some scenes that was just like...wow...this is not a movie you watch with your FIL!

It's sad to say, but special effects, offensiveness and nudity/sex are all Hollywood has going for it these days (along with sequels). Whatever people can't get on the little screen, they'll find on the big screen. There is some romance in Edge of Tomorrow but it never distracts from Cage's main mission.