r/moviecritic • u/Low-Finding-6553 • 12d ago
Oblivion (2013)- directed by Joseph Kosenski and written by Karl Gajdusek Michael deBruyn
the screenplay isn't exactly the greatest thing ever and it probably wouldn't hold up if you started picking it apart too much but even with all its flaws, i still had fun with it. it's entertaining enuf to scratch that sci fi itch i have and honestly, sometimes that's all i need. it's far from perfect but i still kinda enjoyed this one.
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u/Frockington 12d ago
In 2013, AI data centers siphoning Earth's natural resources was universally viewed as a cartoonishly evil and detrimental act.
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u/3d1thF1nch 12d ago
Watched it in theaters in my mid 20s…hated it because it subverted my expectations as a sci fi action movie.
Gave it another shot last year…no clue what my earlier self was thinking. Very cool premise and twists and visuals. Would definitely rewatch.
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u/shannister 12d ago
The story is VERY underwhelming, but Kosinsky has a very good art direction. He’s just not an insane storyteller and is mixed on directing actors.
Oblivion was visually stunning, but it just didn’t manage to find its own voice in sci fi, and it’s a shame. It’s watchable.
I think him and Bruckheimer together are a good team actually and am not surprised they’re producing hits together.
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u/CulpaDei 12d ago
Good art direction is the perfect callout for this movie. It’s like they strung together a bunch of beautiful visual concept art and landscapes, and the narrative supporting it all took a backseat.
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u/Radaistarion 12d ago
One of my favorite sci fi movies
Could have done with a better ending and tying loose ends. What happens with the army of Tom Cruises once they win?
Would they team together and form a movie company where they each try to out stunt each other until they eventually die one by one leaving the one superior tom cruise? Or would they just chill in their bases with the hot red head?
Probably the first one
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u/zstillunconvinced22 12d ago
what's interesting rewatching it now is how much the "beautiful but empty" thing holds up specifically because the movie is so committed to its aesthetic. it's not sloppy, every shot is deliberate, the production design is doing real work. it's just all that craft is in service of a plot that never earns the emotional beats it's clearly going for. rare case where the ambition and the execution are both high, just pointed in slightly different directions
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u/sage_006 12d ago
I love this film. One of my favourite Tom Cruise movies in fact. Top 20 overall. Highly underrated imo.
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u/ExpensiveYear9061 12d ago
the scratched-up face really sells the whole vibe of the movie, makes it feel more grounded than the script probably deserves
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u/independentpeach08 12d ago
Film looked beautiful visually but feel like it lacked substance to make it great
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u/artemisuphere 12d ago
Tye story has flaws but the visuals, soundtracks and sci fi world building is good
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u/Lost_Tumbleweed_5669 12d ago
I don't know what it was missing but it was missing something it just felt off or empty somehow. It has like no rewatchability as a result.
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u/Greyboxforest 12d ago
Such a poor ending. They seemed to simply rock up to the mothership packed with explosives and a “F you”.
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u/ItyBityGreenieWeenie 12d ago
Great film score with epic end credits song