#36 & #37 EDGE OF TOMORROW

#36 & 37 EDGE OF TOMORROW

Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton.
Directed by Doug Liman

113 minutes.

Going to keep this as brief as possible so as not to spoil it or give too much away.

The world has been invaded by a mysterious alien threat and is slowly losing the war. In a last ditch fight back, Earth launches a huge counterstrike on the beaches of France and American PR expert, Major John Cage (played by Tom Cruise) is an ex-ad man and professional coward gets press-ganged into the big assault, only to die minutes after getting to the beach before awakening to relive the same day over and over again - each time he dies - every time until he can solve the mystery of what's happened to him and how to defeat the aliens.

The most interesting and original summer blockbuster so far. And also the most satisfying and entertaining summer blockbuster movie I've seen all year.

With a superb cast, a terrific performance from Cruise, great direction, script and excellent effects, Edge of Tomorrow is a hell of a movie.

Sure, it's a mash up of Groundhog Day meets Starship Troopers meets Saving Private Ryan but it's one of those rare films that once it gets its claws into you doesn't let up. I completely forgot I was in a cinema so engrossed did I become. The opening battle scene on the beach is visceral, noisy, chaotic and exhilarating and forms the backbone of the film. Doug Liman also manages to seed the film with some much needed gallow humours, something that was sadly lacking from X-Men Days of Future Past.

Despite the fact the film deals with a character reliving the same day over and over again, it never becomes repetitive and Liman does a superb job keeping this engrossing and involving throughout its entire running time.

Blunt and Cruise work extremely well together and their unique relationship is what lies at the centre of this film, Cruise excels in his role and give one of his strongest performances in ages.

This is Cruise's fourth science fiction film and arguably his best so far.

9/10

P.S.
Went back and saw this the next day with my kids. Have to say it easily holds up to a second viewing, so soon after the first. It still remains a satisfying and original science fiction film. Very enjoyable.