Doug Liman's EDGE OF TOMORROW

Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald

Charlie and I went to see Edge of Tomorrow last night. I had been reading very positive reviews and was eager to see it.

I was unprepared for how really good this movie is. Initially I thought we were in for another alien-invasion-slaughter-fest with CGI animation up the wazoo. My thoughts had been, though, that Tom Cruise usually doesn’t associate himself with crap.

This movie is not crap. In fact, as I texted Number One Son immediately afterwards, I think that James Cameron’s ALIENS finally has a rival in the rarified pantheon of top-notch military sci-fi epics.

In Aliens, for example, we have Ripley going back in to rescue Newt from the clutches of the Evil Queen Mother Alien. In Edge of Tomorrow we watch as Tom Cruise’s slimy PR type evolves into a battle hardened leader, all while surrounded by some of the most amazing battle and weapons effects put on film.

Bottom-line, it’s a great story, the acting and characters shine (let’s hear it for Bill Paxton!), the leading lady (Emily Blunt) is smart and tough, direction and editing are tight, photography is awesome — and this time around we don’t have to watch New York or Chicago get trashed into rubble!

Review copyright (c) 2014 by Dennis D. McDonald