Oblivion reviewed by Mark Kermode 

It was recorded in a radio studio with no video.

i liked it.

I saw it, it's a good movie. Good story, multiple plot twists, decent acting, nice ending. It's not mindless violence and explosions and car chases like 95% of the crap coming out of Hollywood these days. Yeah I agree the one scene looks like it came out of Star Wars but thankfully it doesn't last long.

Aside from the cocktail of pure Science Ficition, I loved how much this movie's pacing made you taste the visuals and the atmosphere of the post-apocalyctic Earth, putting you in Jack's point of view. I kinda miss movies that do that, today most SciFi movies are so fast-paced that they don't really make you taste the effects and atmosphere.

Just back from a 10am screening....epic! Very impressed! Yes, many SI-FI nods but I really enjoyed spotting them. Mark said it felt long...yes, it did....and I enjoyed every moment of it.

It was recorded in a radio studio with no cameras.

Absolutely loved this film passed me by first time round but it is superb.

The movie seems inspired by several other movies that came before, but it is still very enjoyable and good. Visuals, socre and the pace are amazing. Script and character development are not that good.

That's exactly what I thought. It uses a very significant plot point from Moon and Moon is a much much better film.

Great. Didn't enjoy it the first time but on second viewing with someone more enthusiastic changed my mind. Great cinematography and Cruise in this centuries Charlton Heston.

I saw this movie last night nine years after it came out. Loved it, and how it was shot, but the thing I couldn't get out of my head was why on earth(excuse the pun) was she wearing false eyelashes?!

Just back from a 10am screening....epic! Very impressed!

One of Mark's all-time favourite films is Silent Running - he did a video on it not long ago.

Looking forward to watch it next week. No mention of the M83 soundtrack.

The ending is definitely a nod to both "Independence Day" and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture".

Just rewatched it (2024). Awesome movie, one of the best scifi movies to date. Great atmosphere, great twists.

Yeah, moon packaged up for people that would find moon boring, people that loved transformers movies. it was ok, not boring....but as soon as i heard the phrase 'mandatory memory wipe' about 10 minutes in, i knew EXACTLY where it was going.

I like the feel of the movie,... probably inspired by the soundtrack as much as the plot/design/acting. I will watch it again and again just for that.

I couldn't agree more with this review, I saw the film on Wednesday and was looking forward to it, but lacking depth of character and poor story contrivances, along with it being incredibly slow, ruins what could have been very good... Great review as always, keep up the good work!

When a 12 year old says the film is cliche, you have a problem. Bravo for an intelligent review. It is my personal belief that this film is not science fiction... This uninspired story could have been placed anywhere in history. In most movies, it is the characters that are important. In Sifi it is the story that is important... This movie is a love triangle, action adventure.. CGI can enhance a story's visuals but if it dominates, it destroys the suspension of disbelief. It is my guess that there will be no good films made until after the Apocalypse...

Good say, beautiful movie.

I thought it was great - even if it did 'borrow' from other films.

The massive irony of someone call a film derivative of Moon.

I think the point of the movie decides to tell the story of the characters is to pay homage to all of those other movies. Not steal

Oblivion is an amazing movie. Brilliant acting, super effects and a clever story

Great review guys. I actually fell asleep before it finished and I looked on the web for how it finished. Yes it should have been a 90 minute movie.

Video phone conversations with a "voice of authority" remind me of Leviathan (1989). Who could forget those chilling exchanges between Peter Weller & Meg Foster?

"La Jetee" Mark, Oblivion borrows A LOT from it too. :)

Totally agree. It made me think about it long after it was over; something you can't always say with a lot of garbage out there today!

Come on this is a good film.

Is it true that this is a sort of a loose remake of the Moon movie that came out a few years ago?

Underated oblivion is i think it was far from cliche

No no no! We don't want Piers Morgan back! You keep him :-)

I think that this is one of the best since fiction films that I have ever seen like the Martian ok it may have ideas that was used in other films but what film or book has not why do people think that a since fiction film has to have monsters and gore.

Great point, even greater name.

this is a great sci fi movie with subject matter that will go over everyone's head for eternity. LOL

I loved it. Mike Lang (studio musician ) played the piano on the soundtrack. I worked for him in the 90s

Wednesday is the start of the weekend? 👀

Sam Rockwell's character in Moon didn't have a ship.

Can I point out that the word 'apocalypse' comes from the Greek 'apocálypsis' which means 'un-covering' which I think allows the use of the term 'post-apocalypse'. I think the idea of an apocalypse is less a final end, but instead a new beginning. Thoughts?

This film is a metaphor. It is a story about a love triangle. It is a story about a man forced by his mother to marry the wrong woman. The clones represent the ego death of having to go through a massive break up and leave all that he has known, behind for the woman he truly loves. Morgan Freeman is the father, who has been shunned by Sally, who is the mother... Look for the triangles. Triangles are everywhere in this movie

He did mention Moon

I believe he rates Brazil quite highly?

He loved Blade Runner. But who couldn't? :-)

I'm pretty sure Olga Kurylenko's character saw blood on her hand (from the wound) before the two Tom's started fighting, so presumably she suffered it during the crash.

I really enjoyed Oblivion.

Why is this review only audio and not video?

Actually it was pretty great - the visuals were awesome, cohesive design ethic, acting was good and the story was ok. The action was great and the sequences were well staged and paced. One of the few films I've seen recently where i was not aware of the running time.

Sounds a lot like Moon :) Still going to watch it though!

I'm just missing one piece of information regarding this movie. When Jack was fighting his clone in the desert after the crash and his wife is there and she gets wounded, is it because of an accidental shot during the fight or because she was wounded in the crash?

Duncan Jones' Moon', 'Soylent Green', 'Blade Runner', 'Silent Running'. All films that Mark has reverence for and all are Science Fiction.

He loves GOOD sci fi. He never shuts up about Silent Running. Also, he's a critic, he reviews all the new releases, that's what he does.

Have to say I lasted a bit longer than an hour but there was definitely a point where I was waiting for some sort of conclusion. I didn't find the lead character particularly appealing, not bad just a bit thin. If it weren't for his excellent taste in music (Ramble On man) I probably wouldn't have really cared about him at all. I also found the ending a bit unsatisfactory, they could have finished it earlier. I agree better than Tron and an interesting warm-up for Star Trek next month :)

The producers of Oblivion owe Duncan Jones and the production team behind Moon a lot of money. Oblivion borrowed key elements of the plot and production design from Moon. Oblivion highlights how good Moon is. And Oblivion's conclusion is lackluster.

Its not awful, but its one of those that does alot without doing much plot wise, unlike Mark i enjoyed Tron Legacy and it carried the same style and sexy future visuals which is its strongpoint, theres alot of wasted potential here Surprised he didnt mention Moon comparison

was a great missed opportunity

There were lots of prophecies called apocalypses around 2000 years ago, but the most famous one is at the end of the New Testament & deals with the end of the world. Hence the eventual equating of "apocalypse" with "world-ending catastrophe". Similarly Moore's "Utopia" is a pun on both "eutopia" (good place) and "utopia" (no place), equating the ideal society with non-existence. But people only remember "utopia" = "ideal society".

So am i thinking into this too hard, or is there a reason why the earth was invaded by this Tet or amorphous being in the first place? And i understand that on board of the massive craft it had stored all of humanity, but was it really taking them to titan and really for what reason. And also, since i wasn't paying attention to well, was that the original jack Harper that the movie opened with when he showed up at the ending?

He's spoken lovingly about Silent Running, Solaris, Sunshine, Soilent Green, Moon and many more. He loves a great deal of science fiction films. Yes he may not have done many official reviews of the sci-fi he loves - but he knows what makes a good sci-fi film and it is NOT empty characters, pointless narratives and cliches and IS however about more than the special effects and "cool" setting. I'd say he knows a hell of a lot more than you when it comes to sci-fi.

Jeeez, this guy talks fast.

Nah, it's from the bible. The end of the world is covered in the Revelations of John, and hence "apocálypsis" (from the Greek title of the text) became colloquially synonymous with judgement day over time. The original meaning of the english word "apocalypse" was in fact "revelation". But over time the text itself and the end of the world became semantically confused. Now nobody uses "apocalypse" in its original meaning.

The movie was nothing special, but there was one thing I liked about it: The choice of antagonist was a refreshing step away from the slimy alien monsters I expected to see, Like something spat out of the Evangelion anime.

Voice of the computer companion, mate. Hence the reference to Hal from 2001 as well.

So why dont all movies request to come out on a wednesday then to increase their takings?. As for Oblivion after watching it I think thats exactly where it will end up in history.!

It might be done before, but if it's one of the first Sci Fi action thrillers you see? Then that doesn't matter. Good movie with interesting ideas.

i kinda enjoyed tron 2 not for the poor story but for the graphics and the action.......and yet he writes / draws oblivion as a comic book which doesn't see the light of day and gets 'adapted' into a film. i bet of the five or so things he has directed the scenery is effing awesome. what with him coming from : Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

i can never buy any character played by Tom Cruise - it's always just "Tom Cruise". I really don't see charm or acting talent around the guy. His whole success is a mystery to me, it just doesn't feel right.

i thought it was from the shot, she sees the blood just after

Loved the movie... ..like Mark but sometimes he's way off in my view 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

'Cocktail of science fiction' i.e. a whole lot of scenes and/or ideas taken from other, better science fiction films. You can't just take the best ideas from loads of films and toss them together to make a better one, it doesn't work. The plot was cliched and telegraphed from the start.

Did anyone happen to identify the record that Julia puts on while they're both at the forest retreat?

wonder if mark has even seen hunter prey, a film which i think this draws from heavily in one aspect.

ive heard similar reviews from most people so far about how its nothing new and feels like it drags on. Its a shame I was really excited for this film

Is a "third hand" anything like a "third wheel"?

I hate people who go to the toilet in the middle of a film. GO BEFORE the film!!! What are u 12?

I particularly cringed after they explained the premise with voice over at the beginning of the movie and then explained it all again in exposition halfway through, just in case you didn't get it the first time or walked in halfway through the firs reel.

I love how the first set of references is quoted from Marge Gunderson, Frances McDormand's character from Fargo, and no one picks up on it.

Why? because it has an opinion of it's own?

Is nearly 12 minutes automatically a rant? Discuss.

You can't imply a movie isn't to be respected because it has similar themes to other movies. Everything has been done in one form or another. Every movie can be compared to others that came before it. . What qualifies a person to call themselves a critic anyway? Having an opinion? You COMPLETELY missed it. The U.S. govt (Tet) was occupied 150 years ago by enemies of the people. Jack is like our soldiers, serving that enemy, discovering its true nature. And don't forget the drones.

Better than that awful Mad Max remake Mark loved.

awesome film :)

Wasn't a great film. But it was entertaining enough to not be a waste of time.

Oblivion is almost an adaptation of I Am Legend. Seriously. www.tipue.com/blog/oblivion/

Well that's rubbish for a start. He's given plenty of sci-fi films good reviews...when they've deserved it. I can remember him loving Blade Runner, Moon, and his dribbling nostalgic overenthusiasm for Silent Running, but also 2001, Solaris, Soylent Green, Wall-E, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Adjustment Bureau, Source Code, Splice, Sunshine, Iron Sky, Inception...

It's an enjoyable sci-fi movie. Nuff said!

hey man, written by some jewish guy's jewish nephew, FX outsourced to asia=future of 'blockbusters'

its not dark... the reason kisinski made this movie... every movie y mentioned are dark and depressing... its a bit unfair to say it ripsoff other movies... its sci.fi everything has already been made.

Chewing gum idea, The Rocketeer.

Indeed HAL 9000! stealing from kubrick's masterpiece is really sad in my opinion.

The film’s well acted, well characterised, stylish & intriguing, however the film’s script, direction, lack of storytelling & focus is poor, lifeless & unoriginal. (50%) (2.5/5 stars) (mixed)

You don't know what 'oxymoron' means, do you?

Kevin Spacey in Moon? Sam Rockwell, no?

LMAFAO SPOT ON!!

Oh and Mark: I've never seen you give a positive review to a science fiction film so stop being a snob or just stop embarrassing yourself by reviewing them.

You being sarcastic?

Its not awful, but its one of those that does alot without doing much plot wise, unlike Mark i enjoyed Tron Legacy and it carried the same style and sexy future visuals which is its strongpoint, theres alot of wasted potential here

The climactic scene is a straight rip off of Independence Day.

this film should be called: "Captain Scientologist to the rescue"

It's hard to make a good film on such a weak premise. No AI would adopt such a painfully convoluted method of conquering planets. Why build a machine to drain the sea for power when there's a sun nearby? Only because Tom Cruise doesn't live on the sun.