Review of 'Oblivion': More than the sum of its Sci Fi parts...

So, I know many many of you have been asking what I thought of the new Tom Cruise movie 'Oblivion'. Ahem.

There's a large group of critics who really seemed to be disappointed by it, claiming it was nothing more than a sad pastiche of science fiction tropes, with a valiant effort by Cruise to hold them together. And that, with the exception of some neat plot turns, it wasn't worth seeing.

I agree with them.

On the part about Tom Cruise putting in a valiant effort, I agree wholeheartedly. On the other stuff, I have to disagree. Completely.

Many of my friends are well-read science fiction junkies, moreso than I am, probably. But even as I recognized many of the references and familiar science fiction themes in the film, I did enjoy them more than the sum of their parts, which unfortunately was not the case with those in more lofty internet thrones.

What is the sin in using ideas that have been used before? I know for a fact that the same ideas have been 'invented' over and over again at parties, writer's meetings, and late-night bars for decades; to say that it isn't possible for a familiar idea to be used again without it being 'stolen' is disingenuous at best, especially coming from those who would call themselves writers.

In fact, the only thing anyone can accuse 'Oblivion' of being is a little deliberately paced in the second act, which was noticeable but didn't affect the rest of the film for me.

One critic, at first dismissive of this film when walking out afterwards, woke up the next day to realize that while this film had its influences, it raised a lot of ideas that go beyond the film's running time. I'm only about an hour out of the theater myself, and I can already feel my imagination asking 'what if?' moreso now than when I'd walked out of, say, Prometheus (a film I enjoyed as well).

Yes, Oblivion wears its influences, but not on the sleeve. I'm sure this film will grow on people as time goes on, and I'm happy to have caught it today.

(by the way, be careful of reviews that list this film's influences; one film name told me exactly what to expect with regards to one character's origins. This is why I can't name the influences - why ruin it?)

Catch this movie in the theater if you can, and leave your cynicism behind.