Visuals Breathe Life into “Oblivion”

It’s the year 2077. More than half a century ago, aliens called Scavengers invaded Earth, destroying the moon and much of humanity. Although humans ultimately defeated the “Scavs,” Earth was rendered uninhabitable by the war, and survivors were forced to evacuate to Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.

So goes the story of humanity’s would-be demise, narrated by Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) at the beginning of “Oblivion.” Jack—otherwise known as Tech 49—is one of the last humans on Earth, along with communications officer Victoria Olsen (Andrea Riseborough). Together, they maintain a system of drones, designed to protect a number of monolithic towers that extract energy from Earth’s oceans. Matters get complicated when Jack rescues a woman named Julia (Olga Kurylenko) from a spaceship wreckage, especially because she’s the mysterious person from Jack’s dreams.

The plot quickly accelerates from there—but it’s impossible to ignore the stunning visuals and filmography of the film’s first half. Director Joseph Kosinski, who made his directorial debut with “Tron: Legacy” in 2010, definitely accomplishes with “Oblivion” an original visual spectacle while simultaneously paying homage to science-fiction films of the past.

From the film’s first scene, Kosinski establishes a very polished and futuristic aesthetic. Despite being a “mop-up crew” at the end of the world, Jack and Victoria certainly live in luxury—their base of operations lies at the top of an impossibly high tower and includes large glass windows and even a swimming pool. Albeit improbable, these home features allow Kosinski to pull off some incredibly beautiful shots through the manipulation of shadows—in one stunning scene, Riseborough’s silhouette is illuminated by a sunset as she stands in a pool.

Kosinski also evokes a very silent majesty with expansive, empty landscapes of post-apocalyptic Earth. Through extensive use of daylight, “Oblivion” showcases a very different end of the world, reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus”—incidentally, both films were shot in Iceland. Kosinski includes a more deliberate allusion to “The Matrix” in a later scene that directly recalls that earlier film with an impressive, updated feel. When Jack explores the ruins of the Empire State Building, the dusty interior set clearly reflects Kosinski’s attention to visual detail. The film’s soundtrack, composed by French band M83 and Joseph Trapanese, highlights the film’s wide array of exterior and interior visuals without being intrusive; however, this comes at the cost of memorability. M83’s effort sounds like a dilute version of Hans Zimmer’s work, effectively serving as a supportive score but failing to stand well on its own.

Visual innovation in “Oblivion” is bolstered by strong performances from Cruise and Riseborough, who have excellent romantic chemistry during the film’s first half. The sexual energy between the pair adds to the beautiful cinematography, as in the aforementioned pool scene. Kurylenko’s first screen appearances lack substantial dialogue or development, but her later performance makes up for this with emotional depth. Morgan Freeman’s brief appearance in the film’s latter half feels more facilitative for the plot than anything else, but Freeman’s poise and acting style perfectly suit his role. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau plays a minor character not far from his more familiar role of Jaime Lannister—but it’s refreshing to see Coster-Waldau outside of “Game of Thrones.”

While “Oblivion” succeeds artistically and features a strong cast, its writing occasionally borders on being overly sentimental and fails to take the film’s unique premise towards a strong conclusion. Science-fiction films such as “Inception” succeed because their premise and plot lend themselves to creative and inquisitive discussion. “Oblivion” strives to do so, with pithy allusions to Thomas Macaulay’s “Horatius” and strong, provocative themes of individuality and free will. However, the film doesn’t attempt to make meaningful forays into these thematic ideas, although such a failure doesn’t change its entertainment value. The film touches briefly on themes such as individuality and free will, but brushes by them on the way to visually satisfying scenes.

In every respect, “Oblivion” surpasses most of the blockbuster productions present in the box office today—it’s bold, beautiful, and engaging. Yet given the potential of its premise, it’s difficult not to wonder if “Oblivion” could have been much more.