A tough film to rate for me.
So I’ll start with the easy bits! This is a visually stunning film. Beautiful landscapes and awesome set design make it quite the feast on the eye. Kosinski previously directed Tron: Legacy, so striking design is clearly his forte. The design of the ship used throughout the film really reminded me of a B-Wing, which might be why I liked it so much. The clean, sterile setting that Cruise’s Jack inhabits juxtaposes sharply against the outside world and the threats it contains.
I’ve got to say, I’ve really come round to Cruise in the last few years. He consistently turns in great performances. This might not be in the top echelon of them but he sets up Jack as a guy we can root for, and you completely understand every choice he makes.
The film is quite sparse, in several ways. The environment, dialogue and pacing are all very methodically set out, and it is quite the slow burner. As gorgeous as it is, your bum will feel every one of those 124 minutes. But seeing Jack go about his daily life as a drone technician goes a long way to helping you see why he does what he does.
It does raise some interesting questions, but to go into them would spoil things. Trust me you really are better off knowing as little as possible. If like me your knowledge went as far as seeing the trailer you’re in a good place.
So a decent central performance (with several similar strength supporting ones too), amazing visuals and some questions to think about. So why is it only ‘good’? There is something missing. It could well be soul. For all the technical quality on show, there isn’t enough feeling. I honestly feel it is one of the best looking films I’ve seen, so it does feel harsh not being able to totally embrace it.
I can’t put my finger on it but I think you should all go and see it, decide for yourself and let me know!
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