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Oblivion Blu-ray review

  • Actors: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
  • Director: Joseph Kosinski
  • Writers: Karl Gajdusek, Michael DeBruyn
  • Producers: Joseph Kosinski, Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Barry Levine, Duncan Henderson
  • Format: Color, Widescreen
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Dubbed: French, Spanish
  • Region: All Regions
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Universal Studios
  • Release Date: August 6, 2013
  • Run Time: 124 minutes


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            There are a lot of problems with Oblivion, but you would be hard-pressed to find a moment during the 125-minute running-time where I cared about these shortcomings. It is no surprise that this film kicked off the summer season, as it is the quintessential piece of Blockbuster cinema. From big stars to big effects, Oblivion hits all of the elements of glossy Hollywood filmmaking, but none drive the film more than the energetic electronic soundtrack by rock band, M83. One of the Blu-ray’s most spectacular additions is a viewing option for the film which isolates the score alone.

     

            The storyline for Oblivion is bound to seem familiar, combining elements of plot from a variety of science fiction films from the past several decades. The one thing that can be said of Oblivion is that it presents these typical plot twists in a manner which is somewhat easier to swallow. We are not immediately immersed in the lunacy of the plot, but instead allowed to go one step at a time. It is only upon further inspection that Oblivion falls short, while the spectacle of the theater is precisely what patrons shell out money to see. The Blu-ray is nearly as spectacular, assuming your home theater is up for the task.

     

            The storyline follows a security repair operator living on a desolate post-apocalyptic Earth. We are told in voice-over about the war which ended a possibility for humanity on the planet, and Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) explains his task of fighting off the alien invaders who attempt to sabotage the machines taking all of the water from the planet for humanity’s move to another home. Mostly Jack just repairs the machines that are equipped to do all of the fighting, drones which fly around the planet like sentries. The plot becomes more complex, though these twists are better experienced rather than being told about them. There were several moments during the film when I knew that there was a surprise around the corner, but a few times the direction of the shift actually surprised me. This is not to say that any of it was original, but the approach in filmmaking by Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) made it feel fresh in the moment. Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo and Olga Kurylenko co-star.

     

            The Blu-ray combo package includes a DVD and digital Ultraviolet copy of the film. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is the isolated score track, as well as two featurettes. The first is about the making of the Bubble Ships predominant in the film’s action sequences, with the second focused on the film’s stunt sequences. Also included in the special features are a number of deleted scenes, a commentary track with Cruise and Kosinski, and three additional making-of featurettes. 

     

    Entertainment Value: 8.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7.5/10

    Historical Significance: 5/10

    Disc Features: 7.5/10

     

     

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