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 (061314)
"Edge of Tomorrow” plays like a ‘roided up “Groundhog Day,” yet beyond the
similar daily reset concept, the latest film from director Doug Liman heads in
an entirely different direction. The story doesn’t concern the warming of a
heart, but the fate of the planet and a study of courage, loaded into a summer
blockbuster that values quick pace and big action, keeping star Tom Cruise a
very busy man during the mayhem. Inventive and irresistible at times, “Edge of
Tomorrow” is more of a carnival ride than offering of drama, whipping back and
forth as an alien invasion picture while guns roar, ships crash, and death is
merely the first step to a uniquely fulfilling life.
In the near future, an alien race, known as the Mimics, have arrived in Earth,
gradually conquering Europe with a special ability to reset the day to help
predict human combat methods. On the eve of a D-Day-style invasion in England,
meant to wipe out the Mimics for good, Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) has found
himself disgraced and forced into a battle he isn’t prepared for. Stuffed into a
special weaponized suit, Cage is dropped into the middle of hell, soon coming
face to face with a special breed of Mimic he manages to kill while sacrificing
himself. Waking up at the start of the day, Cage gradually realizes he’s been
endowed with special alien powers that allow him access to the reset, launching
himself into a routine of discovery and practice to help prevent needless deaths
during the devastating conflict. Cage’s only hope to break the cycle is Rita
Vrataski (Emily Blunt), a war hero (the “Angel of Verdun”) who once possessed
the same foresight, teaming with the rattled soldier to help sharpen his skill
and use it against the enemy.
After flirting with Oscar bait in the 2010 failure, “Fair Game,” Liman returns
to the action genre that helped to solidify his career, dating back to 2002’s
“The Bourne Identity.” Based on the
Japanese novel: ”All You Need Is Kill”, “Edge of Tomorrow” offers Liman a massive
playground of violence and mischief to explore, tasked with envisioning an alien
invasion featuring mechanical creatures who speedily buzz around the frame,
lashing out with multiple tentacles as they mow down heavily armed soldiers.
Never one to turn down some cinematic roughhousing, Liman guides “Edge of
Tomorrow” to screen chaos early and often, following Cage as he experiences
lectures from his new commanding officer, Master Sergeant Farell (Bill Paxton),
hazing from fellow grunts, and paralyzing confusion as he’s fitted for a bulky
combat “jacket,” loaded with weapons he doesn’t know how to use. The audience,
following Cage’s baptism of bullets, is plunged into warfare after a brief
introduction (establishing the character’s media savvy and his fixation on
self-preservation), providing a crisp understanding of the man’s limitations.
The time loop concept works rather well in “Edge of Tomorrow,” as long as one
doesn’t think about it too deeply. To counteract iffy sci-fi reason, Liman
invests in speed and blunt brutality, with Cage’s death necessary to restart the
day, watching the terrified man endure mistakes as he works out the possibility
of escape and studies alien attack patterns. With every casualty,
Cage is snapped back to reality, reliving the same day over and over,
occasionally assisted by Rita, who happily puts a bullet into her partner’s
brain to speed up the process after training failures and mission mistakes. The
screenplay treats the resets as dark comedy, emphasizing Cage’s learning curve
as he volleys between life and death, forced to turn this ghoulish gift into an
opportunity to gain the upper hand. Editorial timing and willingness to play up
the humorous side of the screenplay are Liman’s gifts, giving “Edge of Tomorrow”
the jolts it needs to preserve pace and work through the fatigue of repetition.
It’s a blistering actioner, but also a breezy picture for most of its run time,
keeping adrenaline flowing and oddity stoked, having fun with Cage’s circular
lifespan.
“Edge of Tomorrow” does develop an addiction to noise for its finale, and the
overall film is more agreeable as a widescreen joy ride, likely falling apart
under intense scrutiny (Liman and logic have never been the best of friends).
But so much of the movie clicks together beautifully, including Cruise’s finely
bewildered performance and Blunt’s transformation into a believable battlefield
barbarian, complete with dragging broadsword. The mechanized jackets are also
worth the price of admission -- a superb blend of costuming and visual effects
that generates blunt force appeal to human vs. alien hostilities. Despite some
quibbles, “Edge of Tomorrow” delivers the goods with ferocity and a funny bone,
capturing intensity through the colorful details of involuntary rehearsal.
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