Oblivion (2013) is a science fiction film set in 2077 where a nearly destroyed planet earth is said to be attacked by aliens. Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is a former marine commander and drone mechanic 49 stationed on the evacuated earth. He lives in a posh tower with his colleague, Victoria (Andrea Riseborough), where the skies and clouds are its normal outside view. Under the command of Sally (Melissa Leo) through video communications, Jack and Victoria are part of a mission, which is to extract earth’s vital remaining resources. Their operation is almost complete and is bound to join the rest of humanity in 2 weeks at Titan, Saturn’s moon. Jack is haunted by flashbacks of New York and a beautiful woman. Incidentally, he rescues Julia Rusakova (Olga Kurylenko), the woman in his dreams from a crashed spaceship in one of his daily patrolling. The rescue triggers a series of events that includes being captured by the Scavengers under the leadership of Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman) and Jack is forced to discover a truth that connects him to his flashbacks.
The spectacle of the film is in its post-apocalyptic landscapes and breathtaking spaceship flying. Cinematographer Claudio Miranda creates a stylish panorama of futuristic wonders. However, Oblivion’s story line is not as crisp as its dazzling heroics and talented cast. Director Joseph Kosinski awes only by hi tech glitz rather than creating a unique convergence of technique and essence. Its sense and purpose is overshadowed by technology.
Oblivion (2013) is a film on survival and man’s inevitable pursuit for meaning. Victoria survives through the daily assurance that Jack is hers as presented through notable phrases like, “another day in paradise, effective team”. The Scavengers survive on the hope that war is truly going to end soon. Jack survives through high tech gadgets, battle skills and chunks of beautiful memories of earth and relationship. For whatever reason or purpose, man’s desire to survive and quest for the truth is dependent on the values for which he believes in and on how much he is willing to stay or let go. Will Jack allow himself to be left in oblivion or choose to search and bask in truth and freedom?
In our life’s journey, do we only aim to survive rather than live?
(3, 3/5)
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© rooks 2013
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