Oblivion (2013).

I really wanted to see this film at the cinema and never got to. After reports from my brother, who did see it at the cinema, that it wasn’t that good, I had an inkling that I may enjoy it more than him, as our tastes in films are slightly at odds. Having said all this, it was almost one of those films that I could sink into and immerse myself in and forget that I am just a lowly viewer sitting at home in front of the box, and push myself into the scenario, no matter how far-fetched.

Tom Cruise obviously has a habit of choosing the films he appears in very carefully and apart from the Last Samurai, there hasn’t been I film of his I haven’t liked.

Cruise (Jack Harper) is doing a rather cushy job, with a beautiful partner, on top of a tower, which hangs over the cloud line of Earth, which has been damaged by a war with aliens. Humanity has attempted to move to Titan, a moon of Saturn. His job is to maintain massive energy stations taking water and turning it into energy for the move to Titan. He and his communications officer, maintain drones, that protect the stations. And from their house in the sky, complete with a glass bottomed swimming pool, which hangs off the side of the house, they live out their near perfect lives maintaining the drones and keeping the stations safe. However, a mystery lurks not that far away and a conspiracy unfolds.

The stunning scenery, the clever and immersive plot, the relationships between the protagonists all work perfectly. This is an enjoyable and intelligent post-apocalyptic dream of a film and I would have no problem recommending it to anyone. However, there was, like the scenery, an emptiness about it. Something was missing. Maybe it was because it was after the war. The quiet period. The calmness was reminiscent of Dancing with Wolves, which was for that film, almost unbearable. So for that reason, I am reluctant to give it full marks. 4 out of 5 though.