Tom Cruise is Awesome Once Again in "Edge of Tomorrow"

With the slew of sci-fi action movies that have graced the silver screen this year, "Edge of Tomorrow" stands out from the lot...that is, the lot so far. I mean, it is only June. At any rate, this action-packed depiction of humans fighting aliens is exactly what you would expect from a summertime outing to the cinema. However, it brings a refreshing escape from your average sci-fi. Major William Cage, played by the action aficionado himself Tom Cruise, is forced into combat against a truly menacing and all-around intriguing race of aliens seeking (as does every alien race that picks a fight with Earth) to rid the planet of its alpha species. Cage is killed moments after hitting the battlefield, but finds himself trapped in what seems like an infinite loop, forcing him to constantly repeat the same day over and over again. Take "Groundhog Day", juice it up with steroids, catapult it into the future, and tad-ah.

However that description, as simple as it is, falls short in retrospect to the refreshing originality that "Edge of Tomorrow" portrays. The idea of the endless time loop isn't a new one (obviously), yet this movie plays on that idea, taking advantage of the humor that is found with reliving a day over and over again, no matter how grim the day gets; and makes it entertaining, engaging, humorous and creative. I found myself laughing out loud at quite a few parts. Didn't expect that at all.

The action pieces in this movie were a sight to see. I felt completely immersed in the on-going slaughter and absolutely enjoyed every minute of it. The aliens are a trip. They're fast and wicked, making it fairly easy to understand and relate to the fear Cage expresses, not only having to go into battle, but of having to go to battle against these things. Cruise does a fantastic job portraying the struggle of dealing with the monotony of reliving that horror everyday.That, and watching Cage's partnership flourish with Rita, a proven butt-kicking soldier played by the equally talented Emily Blunt, is what really keeps you invested in such a repetitious yet cohesive story. Blunt's performance of Rita is in every way equal to Cruise's performance, which is so refreshing! Women today are so objectified in movies, no matter the genre; action movies especially. That's not the case here. It's just so much fun to watch!

I'm a fan of Tom Cruise. The guy can act; he really can. He does a great job playing varying types of characters, but his bread-and-butter is when he plays the flawed protagonist in the midst of an engaging story riddled with insane amounts of action, (however it's worth noting that he does make an excellent antagonist, i.e. Vincent in "Collateral". Awesome freakin' movie. Cruise was brilliant in that, truly...but I digress). Look, the guy is 52 years old and still does practically all of his own stunts! The average stunt double is half his age, if not younger. That, my friends, is one of many ways the guy has mastered his craft. Not everybody likes him, this I'm aware of, but I'll go to bat for the guy.

"Edge of Tomorrow" is awesome. It really is. It will have you laughing, cringing, and sitting on the edge of your seat. It's a well-crafted action-packed sci-fi that will definitely entertain from start to finish. It opens this weekend and it's absolutely worth watching.


[image via www.teaser-trailer.com]
[image via www.itsjustmovies.com]