By Chris Snellgrove | Published
There are many post-apocalyptic films, but most of them have the same problem: you end up feeling as hopelessly miserable as the characters on screen. Far too many directors believe that the key to this genre is simply to give us scene after scene of grim despair, but what audiences really want is a film that uses a fictional future apocalypse as a lens to view us help to understand our present. And if you’re ready for a post-apocalyptic film full of tough philosophical questions and killer action sequences, then it’s time to stream Tom Cruise’s film oblivion on Netflix.
The plot and cast of Oblivion
In the futuristic world of oblivionThe earth is uninhabitable. We follow the misadventures of the last two humans on the planet as they explore the post-apocalyptic wasteland while trying to stay one step ahead of violent and mysterious depredations. But after a NASA astronaut crashes onto the planet, a wild tale of technology, clones and identity begins that poignantly bridges the past and the future.
Action legend Tom Cruise is the main protagonist of oblivionbut he’s joined by some pretty big names, including Morgan Freeman, whose gentle authority gives the film a sense of down-to-earth vulnerability. The film also stars Olga Kurylenko (best known among action lovers for her role in the James Bond film). A quantum of comfort) and Golden Globe-winning character actress Melissa Leo. Finally, the cast also includes the talented Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who is still best known for his sensational performance in game of Thrones.
Audiences and critics are mixed
At the box office, oblivion earned a respectable $287.9 million on a budget of $120 million. Those aren’t exactly Marvel numbers, but the film’s profit is a reminder that there’s still money to be made from smart, intellectual sci-fi thrillers. Unfortunately, the film’s modest box office success didn’t exactly translate into widespread critical acclaim.
On rotten tomatoes, oblivion has a critical rating of 53 percent. In general, critics felt that the story was relatively weak, but that it was justified by high production values and an outstanding performance from Cruise. The film also has a 61 percent Popcorn Meter rating, meaning it’s (barely) breaking into “new” territory with audiences, if not critics.
Oblivion is worth your time
Obviously the film failed to convince the majority of critics, so why stream it? oblivion Today? On the one hand, the story feels genuinely original and helps the film easily stand out from the overcrowding of some genres. Make no mistake, this is the movie you make for friends who think there are no new sci-fi or post-apocalyptic stories to tell.
Additionally, oblivion is one of those films that you can think about long after you turn off the TV and go to bed. In science fiction, this is much more Star Trek than Star Wars when it comes to telling a clever and introspective story. This admittedly makes it a terrible, brain-switching film, but it’s ideal to watch if you want something to think about, even as you work through one action sequence after another.
Speaking of which, this film’s clever storytelling doesn’t stop it from delivering some killer action scenes, some of which even Cruise does great Mission: Impossible Stunts to shame. These scenes are also nicely spaced out. Whenever you think you’re at risk of switching off, you’ll get up-to-date measures to keep you alert. And due to the aforementioned high production values, these scenes, like the rest of the film, are stunningly beautiful.
You will find oblivion as refreshingly revolutionary as I am, or would you rather turn it off and watch Star Wars instead? You won’t know until you Stream it on Netflix for yourself. After this, you may never look at everything, from the moon to the man in the mirror, the same way again.