Edge of Tomorrow has officially arrived in theaters! It's earned a lot of praise from critics. Now it's time for the rest of us to hash out what we loved (or didn't love) about the sci-fi film. Get ready for the necessary spoiler warning. If you haven't seen the movie yet and are looking for our review, check that out here. Want to know whether or not you need to see Edge of Tomorrow in 3D? Read all about that here.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT
This is the discussion thread for Doug Liman's new sci-fi action film Edge of Tomorrow starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. If you haven't seen the movie yet, please consider turning back now. We're about to talk specifics in this article and the comments below!
Ok, you've been warned. Let's get to the goods. Tom Cruise gets his own Groundhog Day-Source Code alien invasion war movie all rolled into one. I saw the movie during a non-midnight screening last night and here are some of my post-screening impressions. You are encouraged to sound off about any of the following or your own impressions in the comments section below! Whether you loved the movie as much as I did, or not. Let's talk spoilers!
Tom Cruise was amazing. Man, he owned the role of William Cage, first as the smarmy advertising guy doing PR for the military and then thrust face first into a war he's in no way prepared for. Cruise brought all the right emotions to the table, from Cage's chattiness at the start, to his uncertainty and fear, to his eventual determination to manage his situation. The evolution of Cage's character happens pretty seamlessly, and amazingly enough, he doesn't transform so drastically that you feel like you're looking at a different character at the end of the movie. He's a changed man, but he's still the same guy.
Could someone have played Cage differently or -- dare I say it -- better? As a satisfied customer, it's hard for me to imagine anyone capturing William Cage better than Tom Cruise, but I still find myself questioning if maybe this film would have been an opportunity for an up-and-coming (or completely new) action star to emerge. The movie may have required a big name like Cruise to be attached to even be made, so this may be a moot point, but just for argument's sake, let's say Cruise hadn't starred in it. Is there anyone else that might have played Cage as well or better?
Emily Blunt was also amazing. This isn't Emily Blunt's first appearance in an action film, or sci-fi for that matter. She starred in Looper after all. But she went full-on action hero for Edge of Tomorrow and she nailed it. Nicknamed "Full Metal Bitch" and the "Angel of Verdun" Rita wasn't messing around. The best part about Blunt's casting here was that, not only did she prove she's up for a physical role like this, but she's also a good enough actor to bring the level of emotion required for a character like Rita, hardened by war and loss and the frustration of what she went through.
And speaking of great casting... Bill Paxton. Brendan Gleeson. Enough said.
Did anyone else catch it in IMAX 3D? I try to avoid IMAX 3D mainly because of the cost and I find the glasses to be weirdly uncomfortable. But certain movies warrant the bigger screen and this was one of them. That first scene where Cage drops onto the beach is just incredible.
If the Omega had seen War of the Worlds, it would've known not to mess with Tom Cruise when he has a bunch of grenades...
I mean, what it comes down to is if Tom Cruise has a bunch of grenades and you're an alien that's opposing him, sooner or later he's probably going to have a handful of pins.
Was the ending too happy, though? Did Cage and Rita need to survive and live happily ever after at the end of the movie? I'm torn on this. I'm a sucker for a happy ending, and I liked that Cage got the power back. But it did take some of the Edge off the movie by wrapping up Cage and Rita's story in a mostly-neat bow. On the other hand, it doesn't detract from the sacrifice both of them made. Both approached their final scene with the acceptance that they weren't going to survive and both did it bravely. That still counts. The happily-ever-after doesn't undo that. But it does soften the end of the movie a bit.
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What did you think? - Give us your opinions to the above points or your own impressions on Edge of Tomorrow in the comments section below!
