Synopsis
Oblivion, a 2013 release, is a science fiction film that features Tom Cruise in the lead role and is based on an unpublished graphic novel of the same name co-created by Joseph Kosinski. It integrates elemental plotlines around memory and the rural life of a human being with striking visuals for a mind-blowing experience, craftfully exploring deeper themes like humanity. The story is set around the year 2077 and tells the tale of a completely deserted Earth.
The planet is in ruins after being assailed by an unknown enemy dubbed ‘Scavs’ (scavengers). The Moon suffers catastrophic damage, setting off global earthquakes and tsunamis that devastate the Earth’s terrain, rendering it virtually uninhabitable. Humanity has relocated to a space station monument called The Tet, which floats above Earth, before eventually moving to Saturn’s moon Titan.
Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) remaining on earth as Tech 49, a “human” drone showing signs of life unlike others in its ecosystem. He works alongside his partner, a communications officer named Victoria ‘Vika’ Olsen (Andrea Riseborugh), whom he refers to as ‘the voice that soothes his silicon scrapping’. Together, they attend to the maintenance and repairs of drones, autonomous machines designed to guard colossal oceanic fusion generators against the dwindling Scav threats. These generators siphon seawater to power colonies of humans dwelling on the moon Titan.
Jack graphically repairs the sky towers located over the clouds, where he and Vika share a split- regimented lifestyle. Their grace period is at the end of their mission in two weeks, where they are free to detach from their stations and rejoin the rest of the humans. Despite this milestone, Jack is experiencing cell memory storage eluding him – visions of an NYC skyline, a woman he has never set eyes on and pre-war events that existed. The “security purge” routine done on ground staff, erases all but the scantest details of their life prior to employment. So why then is so little indexed data fighting to claw its way to the surface?
Jack accumulates the courage situated at the back of his neural pathways looking for stimulation and goes further than the set boundries of the perimeters sketched down by sand. What he finds pushes the boundaries, a downed spaceship ruptured open with a set of ‘sleeping’ prize pods inside. Routing the ship together with his fantasies was dear old Russian Julia Rusakova (Olga Kurylenko) – proportioned abnormal and detonator. Jack’s reality was about to come apart at the seams.
Before long, Jack falls into the hands of the so-called “Scavs,” who are actually human survivors led by none other than Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman). Beech begins recounting a shocking truth: the Tet isn’t a human command post; it’s an alien A.I. that invaded Earth, obliterating the moon, and utilizing cloned soldiers and drones to suppress any remaining human resistance. Jack is but one of the many clones the Tet creates in order to keep its iron grip over the planet.
Confronted with the shocking truth that his whole life along with his identity is a lie, Jack embarks on a self-discovery journey fueled by relentless determination to resist. Julia then reveals that she is his wife and that decades prior their mission to space was the genesis of the alien invasion. Jack’s memories were not dreams; those were his true past which the Tet erased and manipulated.
Resolute in preserving humanity’s remnants, Jack sides with Beech to join the resistance. In a climactic standoff, he selflessly detonates a nuclear device at the heart of the Tet, killing it and neutralizing the alien menace.
In the final part of the film, Julia is living in a secluded forest refuge where she is taking care of her and Jack’s daughter. A few years later, another clone of Jack—now called Tech 52 because he was able to recover traces of Jack’s memories—discovers the refuge and meets Julia, suggesting that even in a broken world, humanity’s spirit and love still survives.
Cast & Crew
Tom Cruise offers a complex and multi-dimensional portrayal of Jack Harper, effortlessly blending his trademark rugged action-hero charm with vulnerable and reflective turns. For a deeper look into his character, as Tech 49, Cruise plays a man who is a deeply conflicted soldier, caught between obligation and conscience, science and sentiment, future and past. It is clear that the film focuses on him, and he does not disappoint; his portrayal was both physically charged and emotionally nuanced.
Andrea Riseborough portrays Vika as an ensemble member, and she balances a fierce devotion to the mission against her own personal feelings beautifully. Her performance adds a simmering energy to the tension between Jack and Julia.
Olga Kurylenko brings quiet strength as Julia, which makes her the anchor of Jack’s transformation bursts of emotion. Their chemistry strikingly supports the notion of memories and cross-timelove’s enduring ability shaped by one’s memories.
Even in a supporting role, Morgan Freeman brings depth and intrigue to Malcolm Beech, the resistance’s head. Freeman’s character is instrumental to Jack’s moral redemption arc and embodies the struggle for freedom.
Oblivion is directed by Joseph Kosinski, a director famously known for his work on Tron: Legacy. Kosinski’s clean architectural style can be appreciated in the film’s geometry. He adeptly blended the astonishing visuals of science fiction with contemplative philosophical thoughts which are drawn from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and Moon.
Claudio Miranda’s cinematography is breathtaking to say the least; he was awarded an Oscar for Life of Pi. Each shot and angle is heart capturing showcasing the endless white deserts, lush valleys, and broken skyscrapers. The Tet’s sterile demeanor is eerily mirrored by Earth’s raw and natural beauty.
M83’s synth dominating score for the film is haunting in the best way possible. It captures and surpasses what the film needs. The French electronic group’s music flows from soft, gentle, and quiet to spine shaking loud ensuring that both the film’s emotional moments and story are complimented.
IMDb Ratings and Critical Reception
Oblivion has a score of 7.0/10 on IMDb, indicating that it was well received by viewers. Critics were somewhat split on its reception. While some of them appreciated the visual polish, the atmosphere, and the intriguing story, others thought that there was too much reliance on archetypical sci-fi elements.
Positive reviews drew attention to the nuanced action within the film, blending it with introspective reflection. The meditative pacing in conjunction with memories, identity, and the perception of control captured the viewer’s attention. Apart from these factors, Cruise’s performance and Kosinski’s direction also received praise.
Skeptical critics mentioned that the film was filled with overused ideas from other works in the genre and parts of the narrative prioritized spectacle over character interaction. Regardless, there appears to be a cult following for Oblivion based on its emotional storytelling, minimalistic style, and breathtaking cinematography.
Conclusion
Oblivion is a unique fusion of action blockbusters and philosophically inclined science fiction cinema. It poses profound questions about the very essence of a person, the authenticity of memories, and the strength of love. With Tom Cruise capturing the audience with his exceptional performance, Kosinski’s direction, and a score that echoes after the film, Oblivion becomes a visually graceful and strikingly emotional addition to contemporary science fiction.
Even as Oblivion draws from elements of previous works, it weaves its own story through exploring the indomitable nature of the human spirit. This is a film that prompts its audience to do more than marvel at the visual aesthetics presented to them; it prompts us to reflect on our essence as beings—the history we carry, the memories we hold, and the profound ability to love and make choices.
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