Oblivion — Joseph Kosinski
Quick Summary
2077: Jack Harper, stationed on planet Earth, whose entire population has been evacuated, is in charge of drone security and repair. Following decades of war against a terrifying alien force that has ravaged Earth, Jack is part of a gigantic operation to extract the last resources necessary for the survival of his people. His mission is coming to an end. In just two weeks, he’ll be joining the rest of the survivors in a space colony thousands of kilometers from the devastated planet he nonetheless calls home.
Living and patrolling high above what’s left of Earth, Jack’s “celestial” life is turned upside down when he witnesses a spaceship crash and decides to rescue the beautiful stranger inside. Feeling an attraction and affinity for Jack that defies all logic, Julia’s presence triggers a chain of events that forces Jack to question everything he thought he knew.
What he thought was reality is shattered when he is confronted with elements of his past that had been erased from his memory. Finding himself on a new mission, Jack is driven to a form of heroism he never thought himself capable of. The fate of humanity is in the hands of a man who believed that the only world he had ever known would soon be lost forever.
My Thoughts
Oblivion is a film I hesitated to watch, but in the end I didn’t regret it!
There are many elements of other films in the same genre, such as Matrix, Independence Day, 2001… But what better way to make a good film than to draw inspiration from the genre’s references? Of course, originality isn’t its strong suit, but the rest is pretty decent.
The film features very few characters, but this gives it a certain intimacy and personal touch, and allows us to focus all our attention on these few people.
This, plus the unexpected twists and turns that occur during the course of the film, make it quite unique, despite the inspirations I mentioned earlier.
On top of that, the film is magnificent. The images of the devastated planet Earth are impressive and very well done.
The film does have a few flaws, however. Even if the story remains captivating from start to finish, there’s still a fair amount of downtime. There are also a few weaknesses in the script, notably the lack of credibility, especially towards the end.
In short, it’s not a landmark film, nor is it exceptional, but it’s a good film, beautiful and interesting.
To Watch or Not to Watch
I recommend this film, not for its script, which I find implausible even if interesting, but for its beautiful images and its hero.
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