You probably know the Groundhog Day premise - in a future war against invading aliens, Tom Cruise's character keeps getting killed, coming back and trying to make progress and learn more with each incarnation - not unlike a video game reset.
What you may not know is that Edge of Tomorrow is easily the best movie of the summer so far, and the best science fiction film in ages. Director Doug Liman (Swingers, Go) delivers his best work to date here, easily surpassing the action chops he demonstrated in The Bourne Identity. Working from a tremendous script by Christopher McQuarrie and Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, Edge of Tomorrow is adapted from Hiroshi Sakurazaka's All You Need Is Kill (the original title). Liman brings an insane amount of engaging energy to the premise. This is one of the best fusions of writing, directing, editing and cinematography I've seen in a long time. The potentially repetitive nature of the structure is anything but - each new iteration Cruise endures is different than the last - and while the action is relentless with some of the most gripping beachhead combat scenes put on film - make no mistake...this is a serious action film - but it's often hilarious. Cruise is cast as a shallow coward who's terrified of even remote proximity to combat. Liman and company don't shy away from the inherent humor of the surprises and twists that reliving past experiences can offer. You'll be gripping your seats in suspense, but you'll also be laughing like mad - it's a giddy combination. Porting over a little DNA from Aliens, Bill Paxton steals every frame of the movie as relucatant Cruise's Drill Sergeant, adding an avalanche of quotable dialogue every bit as memorable as his work for James Cameron.
The rest of the characters are great, too, particularly Emily Blunt as "The Angel of Verdun," a Valkyrie savior of the war effort who joins Cruise to try and out-think the alien menace. It's incredibly refreshing to position a female character as the most capable hero in a world ripped asunder by war. Edge of Tomorrow is full of clever little bits and inventive moments (characters wear uniform patches prominently identifying their blood type) and has much of the same visceral realism we saw in last year's Elysium.
Liman has hit such a home run here, he's knocked the cover off the ball. It's a shame the grandstands aren't full. Edge of Tomorrow cost upwards in the neighborhood of $178 million and has made less than $60 million so far. Granted, I haven't seen X-Men: Days of Future Past yet, but the movie mops the floor with Godzilla - it's easily the best action movie since Captain America: The Winter Soldier, probably since Gravity. The title change and some confusion over how exactly to market this picture appears to have caused some slow traction at the box office. Do yourself a favor - DON'T WAIT! See this movie in a theater NOW! Don't let June get away from you and see Transformers Ad Nauseum take up all the big screens. This is intelligent and thrilling sci-fi the likes of which we seldom see. Edge of Tomorrow is the best Tom Cruise movie in ages, relentlessly entertaining and overflowing with an audience fun factor we were starting to wonder if we'd ever see again. Very, very highly recommended!
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ugh, i've been trying to find the time to go... along with reading your script, it's on a loooong list of things to get to! At least it's doing well internationally.
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