RichC2

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/oblivion_2013/

75% with 12 reviews so far.

Why So Blu?

This is what Garth over at Dark Horizons posted about it on his FB page:

Saw "Oblivion". Same issues as “Tron Legacy”, only to a noticeably lesser degree. Truly stunning visuals and production values. Acting is servicable. The story is straight up pure sci-fi which it’s nice to see again as it feels like it has been a while. However it runs too long, feels a bit cold, and seems like a “I Robot”/“Independence Day” pastiche. First act is easily the strongest. Even so, I’d definitely recommend it to fans of the genre. It’s a beautiful looking film and has some fascinating elements to it.

Dr. DVD

I truly feel that if Serenity had put a major star in a supporting role , maybe the guy chasing the crew (hard to spell actor's name), then it would have been a bigger hit. It scored well at Rottentomtoes last I checked. Also, Avengers proved that people enjoy Whedon's type of stuff, they just need something else to get them into the theater as his name means nothing outside of geekdom.

FWIW, it seems most larger budget sci-fi movies do well opening weekend, then drop close to 50% the second week. The genre sells itself for the opening, but it has to actually be good to flourish (what a concept!).

RichC2

I seriously doubt it, Sci-fi is a difficult sell, and Serenity looked like a made-for-TV movie in the trailers. Avengers simply proved that a movie with Iron Man, Thor, Scarlett Johansson, Captain America and The Hulk would sell. It could have been directed by Tim Story and still have done extremely well and been well liked.

You are right about big budget sci-fi opening decently, though there's usually some sort of draw to it. However, it also depends on what kind of Sci-fi we're talking about, as something like Looper is going to be an easier sell than something like Solaris.

Ash Ketchum

Last year, I was walking through the Empire State Building, which is something of a short cut to get to my office, and I was stopped on the Fifth Avenue side and told I couldn't go through 'cause they were shooting a movie outside. I was about to say, "You have to let me through, I'm Tom Cruise," but I stopped myself and begrudgingly went back the way I came, making me even later to work than I already was. When I reached the other side of Fifth Ave. and saw the crew at work I ran into a co-worker who told me Tom Cruise was filming a scene. I didn't see him, though. I later learned that this was for OBLIVION.

I'm inclined to give this a chance by the reviewer's comment above that it's "straight-up pure sci-fi."

RichC2

The comparisons to Tron Legacy have me a little worried, apparently it has a similar structure - starts really well then completely peters out when it tries to make sense of everything.

Dr. DVD

I thought Tron:Legacy was fun, but not great. :shrugs:


I will agree that serious sci-fi is a tough sell, even if it gets good reviews. I also think it's obvious there was no way this got made without Tom Cruise's involvement, and that was after he had a brief resurgence thanks to the 4th M:I movie. If this movie can stay true to being sci-fi and keeps some fun about it, I think it will do well. However, if it starts to have an identity crisis trying to figure out if it's a sci-fi action or a serious sci-fi, then it will probably prove a mess and get bad word of mouth. Nothing can irk general audiences more than unevenness.

Terrell

I get the same vibe from this that I got from Total Recall and Tron. Looks great, sounds great, but is otherwise mediocre, bland and unengaging.

dan30oly

I might see this tomorrow evening as it's already released in the UK.

If I do I might write up a couple of sentences...

valkyrie

Please, don't go to any trouble.





J/K. Had to give you a hard time.

Raul3

Bought the 12 Monkey blu-ray at Best Buy ($7), because it included a $8 code for Fandango for this movie.

So I'm watching it, will see if I can do IMAX.

Dr. DVD

Makes note to stop at Best Buy tomorrow.


Also, it's FAHN-DAHNHG-OH

Osiris3657

70% so far on RT (27 reviews). I think it'll be around 55-60%

iNCREDiPiNOY

Just saw the Premiere screening at Dolby Theater from last night. Very well done!

Dr. DVD

Hope it ends up in the mid 60%,which typically indicates it's solid entertainment, but nothing that will stay with you after viewing. I think that would at least merit a trip to the IMAX.

RichC2

Went up 1% to 71%.

The movie looked to me like a mix between Tron Legacy and Book of Eli. I didn't really care for either of those, but I remember both of them (Tron for the visuals, Eli for what it could have been), which actually says a lot these days.

ie - I watched a movie on Netflix last night called Lay the Favorite with Bruce Willis, Rebecca Hall, Joshua Jackson, Catherine Zeta Jones and Vince Vaughn, I can't for the life of my remember anything about it outside of the fact that Rebecca Hall has a great body.

Why So Blu?

Hey, Zoe Bell is in this!

hanshotfirst1138

It was very pretty though.

I seriously doubt that a Hollywood movie starring Tom Cruise will be "serious sci-fi," whatever the early buzz may say, if a studio greenlit it with a much money behind it as it has, they wouldn't have done so if something doesn't start blowing up at some point. It could be like Chronicle or District 9 where the film starts with some interesting ideas and then devolves into action stuff at a certain point.

That is a proper science-fiction film. And hey, Bruce Willis can actually act! Who knew?

I haven't seen her in anything outside of Vicky Christina Barcelona, and her character in that was so bitchy, it was difficult for me to find her attractive.

Why So Blu?

^ Rebecca Hall is good in The Awakening and The Town.

EddieMoney

I have a hard time with Cruise as a person, and it has affected my ability to enjoy his films. However, I think this one looks interesting, and at the very least will contain some great scenery.

hanshotfirst1138

That's true, I have seen the theatrical cut of The Town she was pretty good in that as well.

jdslater1

Saw this last night. Are we gonna have a review thread?

JumpCutz

Spill your guts bitch.

We aint waiting for the review thread.

jdslater1

I saw it on a Sony 4K and the film is one of the best presented films I have ever scene. The visuals are great and the sound mixing is awesome.

Cruise is really good in it. It requires him to act. It's a film about memory and loss. It is abit of a mystery so you kinda ask yourself questions as you go along. Trying to work it out.

It may have been based on a graphic novel but when I came out there were some plot points that I found had been taken from other films (I won't say what).

Personally I would've liked 20 minutes or so to be cut to sharpern it up abit. But I would give it 8/10.

Dr. DVD

Apparently this movie is doing very well overseas, just not in America. Might be because it's not yet released, but who cares? It's a domestic bomb!