Oblivion (2013)

Stars	User	Rating
12	moraesfelipe	44 _19th
Sally draws inspiration from 2001, the mechanic (Wall-e) brings a flower to his girl (Eva) and mantains a house of Earth souvenirs -- just like the Pixar film --, the human beings that still live here wear Predator-like masks and inhabit a location that seemed to be borrowed from Matrix. And the music is from Tron. And other references go from Moon to Independence Day. This drone-oriented, what-you-believe-about-everything-is-a-lie, me-and-my-clones sci-fi should just be called Copie Conforme.
7	Barthalen	52 _30th
Going in, I was reminded of all the comments I heard about how the movie comes apart the further along it gets. I completely agree with everyone, though this does make me feel ridiculously unoriginal. Is my opinion really so predictable? What does that say about my free will? My humanity? Ironically, these are questions Tom Cruise's character should have asked himself if the writing of this movie was any level higher than 'lazy'.
6	Nearphotison	77 _54th
It's easy to draw comparisons between this and other Sci-Fi films, but the elements here come together in a unique way with a good soundtrack and a solid performance from Cruise. Doesn't push any boundaries, but is perfectly enjoyable for what it is.
6	mkellins	40 _21st
Oh, come on TET! If you can trace a person's DNA on Earth, surely you could detect a huge bomb that's being transported into your ship! And that's just one of the many idiotic plot holes in the film. If you think about the plot too much, it all falls apart. You're left with some potentially interesting (stolen) ideas, cool space ships and impressive CGI scenery. It's watchable, but not a good film.
5	FunkyAstro	50 _49th
This is basically the bastard love-child of what would happen if 2001:, Wall-E, The Matrix, and Independence Day all had a little too much to drink one night and thought it would be a good idea to go skinny dipping, which then quickly progressed into group sex where all of them forgot to pull out. Kosinski clearly is a fan of SciFi and you can't pay any more obvious of an homage (rip off) than your villain being a big red eye. Hopefully Sally and HAL will hook up one day. Derp.
5	GillSolo	90 _90th
Oblivion is a visually stunning sci-fi achievement. It has some set backs, but they are easily missed thanks to the wonderful sci-fi scenery. The technology is awesome, the story is classic sci-fi, and it is all delivered on some of the best budgeting hollywood can offer. Tom Cruise, I am glad to say it, does a good job. If anything, see this movie for the art inside, if sci-fi is your thing.
4	djross	35 _19th
The film's apparent universal theme, "love's memory never dies", is really cover for something more specific: a man with a nice house, job and wife gradually realises he is unsatisfied, that his true masculine interests and desires remain unmet, that he yearns to be thought of as not just a drone but a hero, and that if all this has failed to occur, the fault must lie with his wife, with the world, and with forces within that world that undermine the actualisation of his legitimate fantasies.
4	Ytadel	6 _70th
The first half feels meandering and unfocused (if occasionally visually arresting), but the film gets a bit more zip in its step after a midmovie twist, coming to an ending I found interesting. (Believe it or not, there's a LOT of this movie the trailer didn't even hint at, which in 2013 is by itself a revelation.) It suffers from a whole lot of telling instead of showing in regard to its backstory, though. And it's a shame Kosinski couldn't get another kick-ass Daft Punk soundtrack!
4	BillyShears	65 _42nd
2077 A Tom Cruise Odyssey
4	TheRealJ-Ro	75 _55th
Remember kids, this guy likes Sci-Fi. So what's not to like about a Sci-Fi movie that mashes up a bunch of other Sci-Fi movies? Does this match up to TRON: Legacy? No, because I loved TRON: Legacy and only liked this one. And this movie didn't have Olivia Wilde in a tight suit. But that doesn't mean it wasn't good. I think people went in expecting this to break the mold, rather than comfortably fill it. And yeah, there's some wonky logic but nothing terrible. Great soundtrack. It's worth seeing.
4	McJohnson	65 _10th
Visually interesting. Painfully bad plot. No originality whatsoever.
4	Okkervil	50 _38th
Enjoyable popcorn flick, but significantly flawed otherwise. Strangely, despite some huge plot holes, it feels like a fairly well constructed piece of sci-fi, & there's plenty of detail & concept to admire. Unfortunately it's a shame that the materials used to construct this piece of sci-fi are ideas stolen from every notable sci-fi film of the last 40 years! There is nothing original here. 'Cliché' is its next big problem, & painfully so. Lots of wasted potential, but it's no stinker.
4	Cinema_Asia	60 _30th
So some hollywood execs (or their sons) played Mass Effect and decided the Geth were interesting and the sci-fi aesthetic from that game should be lifted to do a big motion picture. Now who would we cast and what kind of film would we do? Why, we'd cut and paste here and there from all sci-fi movies like Moon and the apocalyptic future setting never gets old..so why not. Thus the executive grunted on the show biz toilet and out popped this butt nugget. It's not all bad but oh so generic.
4	Taliban	90 _92nd
The first third makes you think you're in for something special and has a pretty sublime moment. Then it turns out you're just in for some pretty above average sci-fi that looks and sounds very good.
4	redacted	41 _17th
In a world where only iconic American buildings & monuments survive, Cruise, donning less protective wear than a Fukushima first responder, occasionally leaves his floating fuck bunker to guard the parched pastures of post-nuclear war Earth. Stuck in a mental crux between nostalgia-bred hatred of the present & obsessive narcissism, Cruise has to quickly learn the difference between black & white symbolism in Western culture. Minimal set design, score (Done well by M83) & unfortunately, dialogue.
4	juntakinte99	66 _30th
If you're an overly analytical nerd who loves tracking the influences of sci-fi movies, you A) are reading this review and B) will dig this movie. It's essentially a YouTube mashup of the best parts from Inception, The Matrix, 2001, Blade Runner, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek The Motion Picture, and Solaris. It also has a knack for avoiding Kubrickian intellectualism and instead going for fun via action sequences, cool architecture, and a wonderful Vangelis inspired M83 music. A nice trip.
4	BeeDub	85 _63rd
Above all, this movie is a triumph of mood, combining spectacular visuals, great music, and a deliberate pace to deliver a near-hypnotic experience. Yes, the story owes a debt to any number of previous sci-fi pieces, but its superior craftsmanship, strong performances, and palpable atmosphere help it stand out.
3	yoohoo	85 _82nd
The story itself isn't exactly new or original, but damn if it didn't look good. The visuals were what sold me on the movie. The landscapes were spectacular and the special effects are among the best I've ever seen.
3	nuotio	67 _86th
This was a pleasant surprise. I went in expecting an action film with scifi elements but it was actually the other way around. Granted, Oblivion doesn't invent anything new but it offers it's influenses in a very nice looking package with a great M83 score. Cruise plays his role in low key which fits the film. Only the overtly explanatory ending and gaps in logic bring the total score down a bit. Plus points for the Icelandic scenery and slightly washed out look of the CGI.
3	ChrisPalm	82 _90th
Why the low rating? I think people prejudge Cruise. But this is actually a really nice flick. And some stunning visuals aswell.
3	decathect	3 _41st
mid life crisis the movie, almost does something cool with it retreating back into the blandest safest ending possible. even on its own terms (creeping dissatisfaction with yr beautiful wife and house not ameliorated by yr cool job + motorcycle + flying car, disquieting sensation that yr lifestyle is destroying the planet, yr inevitable death) it taps out without dealing with any of it. for a film titled 'oblivion' that's p disappointing.
3	Läuft.	42 _14th
Well, if you steal from basically every Sci Fi Movie, do it better!
3	Paxton	51 _22nd
The movie opens with a closing monologue and closes with an introductory story.
3	o_rety	90 _87th
This is true SF. By which I mean it has the main ingredient - an evocative story. A rare specimen indeed. Even rarer considering that's the genre that likes to promise much but seldom delivers (hello 'Elysium'). There are also some things here, like cinematography and graphic design, far exceeding my expectations. Many others that simply work very well and only a small number you could nitpick (as they always are). Don't believe the critics, do yourself a favor and watch it.
3	TheSaberfool	36 _25th
The look of the film is great and Tom Cruise is solid, if unspectacular, in the lead. Unfortunately, Morgan Freeman and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau are wasted on weak roles and the script is lacking, to put it lightly. I'm convinced that the title was only recently pared down from the working title of "Oblivion: A Copy and Paste Odyssey." By the time we reach the (overly drawn out) second act, it has become a game of "name the original source" for every plot point.
2	cagedwisdom	50 _38th
It has a lot of ambition and potential, but it's pretty squandered. For the most part only reminds you of all the better sci-fi films it steals from - and it steals from too many, failing to simplify its plot and ends up being a pretty poorly paced film. Has a few good moments, and it's not a bad film, but Tron: Legacy was better in both style and substance in my opinion (although I am a Tron fan). Pretty mediocre.
2	Alex Watkins	3 _38th
This is conflicting - though if I'd known it was by the Tron: Legacy dude, I would've known exactly what to expect. On the one hand, the production design is off the charts and Cruise is an engaging lead; on the other, the characterization is paper-thin, the machinations/motivations of the plot murky, and it often plays like "Spot the sci-fi influence" (these dudes must love Portal). It's better than Tron was, but not by much.
2	martryn	70 _51st
A much better film than I would have thought going into it. I think this would have worked a lot better if there wasn't a plot, and the film played it straight. It was interesting just to see a man wander through the wasteland of a destroyed world. Not that the plot was bad. Predictable, sure, but it wasn't awful.
2	msprague	80 _85th
Try not to think through the details too far and you'll enjoy this one. You get the feeling you've seen this or parts of this before and that's ok. It's fun to watch, mostly, and there are some bits and pieces of cool visual stuff.
2	Ross	75 _78th
Oblivion is visually stunning, solid entertainment, and very clichéd. I liked it, but I was left with a very empty feeling after seeing it.
2	Ofterdingen	71 _78th
A surprisingly entertaining and beautiful thrill ride. No matter how much it's a mash-up of Wall-E, Moon, Logan's Run and so many other sci-fi movies.
2	XakkMaster	71 _43rd
Impeccably designed and masterfully filmed, it inserts some seemingly fresh ideas into mainstream sci-fi and blockbuster films. Unfortunately, those ideas that may seem new to the general movie-going population are actually borrowed from a gamut of this film's genre elders. As not to spoil the plot I'll hold back on name dropping movies this one borrows from, but there are quite a few. It's still worth a view though for the outstanding visuals, soundtrack, and Tom Cruise's fine performance.
2	NathanDarko	90 _79th
A very dystopian and State-of-the-art Science Fiction blockbuster. In my mind everything fits perfectly together. CGI, cast, the stunning soundtrack. I do can comprehend the negative reviews, nevertheless I really enjoyed this trip. Drones will take an essential place in future Warfares, so I think that some scenarios aren't that far-fetched as they might seem in the first moment. I definitely like Kosinski's style.
2	WWallce4prez	65 _35th
Jaime Lannister and Morgan Freeman dressed as Mad Max take on an army of Tom Cruises. As awesome as that may seem, unfortunately the execution is simply taking bits and pieces from better sci-fi flicks. Oblivion looks and sounds like a superior film than it actually is.
2	Gideon	1 _16th
Uninspired drivel
2	FrederikA	55 _42nd
The first half of the movie is spend watching beautiful imagery, while waiting for the plot to reach the point beyond what the trailer spoiled. The second half is spend being force-fed E-V-E-R-Y possible sci-fi cliche the setting allows, occasionally distracted by decent action and -yes- beautiful imagery.
2	d_drudges	30 _30th
In capable hands, the visuals and themes in this movie could have been harnessed to something amazing about, say, man serving technology instead of the other way around. Instead, we get a lazy mishmash of stuff lifted straight from earlier sci-fi movies. The movie treats its viewer like an idiot, projecting every plot point miles in advance and then spending most of the dialogue going over those plot points in case you miraculously missed them. Tom Cruise has no chemistry with anyone, as usual.
2	Bunken	70 _71st
Kosinski once again creates a beautiful world and a great soundtrack, but as in 'Tron: Legacy' the overall story just isn't there and the script could have used a brush up or two...
2	hellboy76	67 _58th
Cruise is his dependable earnest self and there is some great effects. However, the plot is a bit vague (probably for good reason). Still it is not bad.
2	AlexanderMG	65 _6th
Terrible mega-budget fare that I was forced to watch. It did make me realize how often the "Earth has been fucked beyond repair" or "Earth has been taken over by the X" movies uses imagery that stands on the shoulders of that iconic shot of the Statue of Liberty from The Planet of the Apes. I'm pretty sure that shot spawned a whole sub-genre of terrible crap like Oblivion.
2	RandallODim	72 _28th
To describe this movie in a self-referential metaphor: Everything starts off fine in a stable orbit, but before too long things come loose and it crashes, spilling its payload of interesting ideas and creative homages across the ground, to be shot in the face before they can awaken and achieve their full potential.
2	Leonardis	82 _40th
I didn't have anger towards Oblivion like the others probably did. It's a bit unanswered and confusing for some, but the great performance from Tom Cruise and the very impressive visuals from TRON's Joseph Kosinski are enough to keep it moving. The screenplay is just fine too.
2	Trooth	42 _13th
If this had come out in the 80s, maybe the 90s, it would have been fantastic. Probably would have made tons of money and even gotten a sequel or two of some kind. The problem is that now, all of this stuff has been done before. Everything in the movie comes off as extremely derivative, and there isn't a single original idea to be found. This would be fine if it didn't take itself so seriously. But this kind of subject matter is more suited to a schlocky sci-fi action homage than the main stream.
1	Kavu	46 _23rd
Nice try but the further it gets, the sillier it becomes.
1	nutcrackr	70 _38th
Good concept although more work was needed on the finer details and execution. Olga's character does not act in a believable way and she does not fit the role. Core information about Jack should have been drip fed instead of vomited by Freeman's character in one scene. Drone posturing near the end is ridiculous. Great visuals early on but apocalyptic setting is wasted.
1	joseywales	49 _21st
A very pretty love letter to a LOT of better sci-fi films.
1	evrana	51 _15th
It was just plain boring. I barely stayed awake during it. I have enough of these "Lonely guy in a Sci-fi setting, so that adding CGI is much easier; oh we are so clever" movies. Also when your twist is so obvious that, I cna figure it out at the second minute of the movie; you should try at least another twist or something. When you have a war plot you should ask yourself "Would I do this in war?", if the answer is no; then don't put it no matter how good it fits with the theme
1	twincinema	55 _30th
The film tries to straddle the line between thought-provoking and action, and produces a mediocre result by providing not much of either. The film is greatly enhanced by Cruise's presence. There is some interesting stuff about how memories inform and maintain identity, but it never extends beyond the obvious.
1	Suture Self	3 _25th
I remember sitting in the theater thinking "Why am I being force-fed plot devices like I'm some kind of child" and then I realized this was directed by the guy who did Tron: Legacy and everything made perfect sense. This is a really condescending movie to the viewer and no matter how good Tom Cruise is or how pretty it looks it will never be anything more than a big budget sci-fi movie for audiences who hate making any kind of effort at all.
1	KasperL	70 _65th
Kosinski's world rivals Olga K. in prettiness, and Riseborough continues to impress. I found the film's setup intriguing. So much so that the last act, handing out some rather uninspired answers, proved a somewhat disappointing anticlimax.
1	scurry	45 _44th
Tom Cruise is good as always but that is the only unqualified positive. The dogfighting scenes reminded me of Star Wars which means they were cheesy. The plot reminded me of a generic sci-fi story which means I always knew what would happen. In the end I have no desire to see this movie again and I may have already forgot most of what it was about.
1	andayb	65 _68th
there's barely anything new in this movie, but everything is presented well, the cool gadgets, the whole post apocalyptic backdrop, the drones, they all click. the script may be stale, but the pacing is right, and Cruise does an adequate job.
1	Luna6ix	78 _66th
Too many people expect innovation in our science fiction movies. Dramas, romantic comedies, and action movies have hardly changed in the past thirty years, so if "Oblivion" breaks no new ground, then I find it hard to call that a death blow. the fact is, "Oblivion" doesn't really push any boundaries, it's slightly run of the mill, but it's got enough good special effects and some good actors to make up for it. i'll call it what it is, a fun two hours.
1	jordanlige	100 _51st
a really neat movie 10 out of 10
1	spleen	61 _27th
Turns out 500 letters is not enough to list even a third of the movies this one resembles. That said, I've just wasted 118 characters mentioning that. Cliff note version: Melissa Leo is beyond horrid, Cruise is...Cruise, the plot is a compilation album of used-up ideas and the effects are only groundbreaking if they had aired on the SciFi channel 15 years ago. Pros: Andrea Riseborough does her best to swim out of this puddle of mud disguising itself as pseudo-intellectual science fiction.
1	Giuseppe	67 _28th
"Our plot is leaking, but it's OK 'cause we have nice visuals and decent acting."
1	oldgoat	60 _30th
A pretty piece of shit. Steals shamelessly from better movies. Every single major plot point can be summed up as 'Hey this thing that is incredibly complex and important has been 99% done and its really important you got here, all you have to do is hit the button. HOORAY ONLY YOU COULD HAVE HIT IT!'
1	bing	65 _42nd
Derivative sci-fi made far cooler than it should be with great production design and soundtrack. See it once, then just watch Moon while listening to M83.
1	DavidBlast	50 _44th
I don't think it's really terrible, but I basically agree with what you guys have said already. If I am to offer any original perspective, it would be that it seems like the sort of science fiction movie, that Tom Cruise wrote (for) himself.
1	filmfreak88	35 _10th
An insipid, by the numbers post-apocalyptic affair.
1	overrated	34 _26th
Tom Cruise did not disappoint in the stiff, exaggerated sprint & explosion changing his trajectory mid-air departments.
1	Wezzo	70 _26th
There's nothing particularly awful about Oblivion, but it's inconsistent: it's both braindead and unnecessarily complicated, a tonally dysfunctional sci-fi hodge-podge. Certainly not a write-off though, thanks to some wonderful landscapes, a number of great setpieces, and its attempts to inject thoughtful concepts into the mainstream.
1	PerryStroika	57 _30th
Some good ideas, but the pacing is all wrong and the story is confusing. I at least was reasonably entertained for most of the running time, but the big reveal (or reveals) when it finally comes is a letdown.
1	jlewis	80 _41st
Standard Tom Cruise blockbuster fare. Beautifully presented and nice small bites of big screen sci-fi novelty, but not much else going on here.
1	Jerky	55 _59th
Looks good and keeps you interested long enough to stay with it, but at the end you're left with many questions.
1	NothingsGood	85 _93rd
After my fifth viewing, I don't know what ya'll are smoking - this is a modern Sci-Fi masterpiece. Kosinski is one of one directors that give me hope cinema isn't a dead medium. Ya'll keep watching the Duffer Brothers though.
1	SMP	85 _73rd
One of the more surprisingly good films I've seen. Unsurprisingly, it was a gorgeous movie with a killer OST. Based on the trailers I expected it to just be a moving concept art coffee table picture book with an awful plot (thanks to the director's previous film). While it still bears the same problem (hand holding you throughout the film) as it's contemporaries (PacRim & Elysium), it doesn't interject with embarrassing monologues or ham-fisted politics.
1	myfavchords	74 _40th
This is an interesting science fiction film. The script has some good and bad moments. The actors do a good job with the material. Overall I would recommend this film.
1	DougieD	70 _35th
A very derivative science-fiction film that works despite a muddled plot thanks to stellar production values, strong acting and a grand scale. Tom Cruise anchors the film with a solid action performance while Olga Kurylenko and Andrea Riseborough put out great supportive performances. But it is the visual effects and M83's pulsating score that elevate the film past its generic faults. Definitely a movie that requires the viewer to shut off their brain and just soak in the futuristic beauty.
1	comepelicula	40 _23rd
The plot was a bit obvious and I felt like the movie dragged itself for two hours, I was glad when it ended. I still liked the futurustic ideas.
1	nobodyrobots	60 _16th
I liked it better when it was called 'Moon'.
1	Ag0stoMesmer	2 _46th
Love as ghost in the -human- machine is a little corny but fun. The film spreads itself so thin though and was a little too star wars (zoomorphised droids, euch) for my liking, the action scenes lacked jeopardy -felt unnecessary. I imagine it worked better as a GN.
1	caprimode	55 _23rd
Its very flawed; the vast and empty landscape of the sci-fi world could have really been a bigger part; but remains background. The characters never seem important enough. The story is fine, and the twists are okay, but it feels like it could have been background for a bigger action movie, instead of playing out as a sci-fi drama. It's hard to believe given Kosinski's background, but it just never feels BIG enough.
1	TheEscapist	58 _15th
Bad. From the start this film wasn't able to grab my attention, looking quite generic and as something that has been done a thousand times before. It only gets worse, bad acting, laughably bad plot twists, a setting that should be atmospheric but isn't and bad dialogue. As others have pointed out, there is not a single original idea in this film, ripping off tons of other superior sci-fi films. No depth and even visually it doesn't look that good due to an overabundance of CGI. Terrible ending.
1	hisblob	71 _50th
lacking in the originality, plausibility, and dialogue departments
1	LookJabba...	5 _30th
Oblivion is an attractive viewing experience but a pointless one also. The plot is completely flawed and the beauty of the ladscapes and exploration over time begins to plod along at an unengaging pace. Director Jospeh Kosinski offers nothing fresh or original to the Sci/Fi genre and the film becomes a game of 'spot the original source'. The soundtrack is stunning, Tom Cruise is as reliable as ever and Andrea Risebororough gives a good performance. But ultimately Olivion is style over substance.
1	Lonewolf2003	65 _28th
It looks very good and Tom Cruise is very solid in this very watchable but ultimately predictable thirteen in a dozen sci-fi movie.
1	vv238	44 _46th
Oblivion suffers from what I'm calling the Tom Cruise Effect. It doesn't matter if there is an interesting premise, decent visuals, solid music, or anything else that would make a better-than-interesting movie, The Tom Cruise Effect makes it all mediocre. It could be because Tom Cruise always has to do Tom Cruise things and so many of his movies are sleek instead of interesting, polished instead of innovative, and bland instead of challenging.

Average Percentile 43.46% from 4387 Ratings