I’ve been meaning to catch Edge of Tomorrow. Last week, my wife and I finally saw it. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. The film portrays a war with an unknown alien species that has come to earth. We don’t know what they want, and it doesn’t matter, because they’ve come to kick our asses, and at the film’s opening, they’re doing just that. Humanity is teetering on the brink of collapse. Following Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), the audience goes on a (somewhat amusing) journey as our hero, a soldier who’s traditionally done documentaries for the military, gets thrown in the front line of the war. What ensues is an interesting bit – Cage gets an unusual ability from the alien menace, the ability to relive the same day over and over. Part Groundhog’s Day, part Aliens, Edge of Tomorrow fuses the two concepts to create something both familiar and unique. And like Groundhog’s Day, Edge of Tomorrow shows us segments of the same day that Cage has lived over and over but presents it in a way that’s both refreshing, amusing and continues to move the plot forward without getting mired in repetition. 
And that’s probably one of the movie’s greatest strengths. Clocking in at just shy of two hours, Edge of Tomorrow is always moving forward. We see Cage start off as completely green, and by the end of the film (because he’s lived the same battle countless times), he’s become Tom Cruise. For the most part, the visuals were competent. Because the film’s PG-13 (and possibly budgetary reasons), you don’t really see the aliens that people are fighting. It’s just kind of blurry hobblety-hoo. But when they do actually stop for a second, they’re a treat to behold. Whoever did their design should get props, because humanity’s foes just look badass. 
As far as characters go, Cage and Sergeant Rita Rose Vrataski (Emily Blunt) a.k.a., “The Full Metal Bitch” steal the show. Rose is an interesting character as she’s credited with helping humanity win their only battle in the war. She had the same ability as Cage, and as such, is the only person to believe him. In the beginning, she starts as a mentor, but as the film progresses, she becomes a comrade and friend to Cage. Their on-screen chemistry was believable, and Blunt convincingly pulls of a hard-ass female lead. I mean, seriously, right up there with Vasquez from Aliens. 
Speaking of Aliens, Bill Paxton play a Sergeant in the film. He’s you’re cookie cutter hillbilly, and provides some cheap laughs. Cage also has a squad of generic marines that fit all the check-boxes for the diversity bus. They walk the fine line between annoying and endearing. Probably more of the latter to be honest. But it doesn’t matter because the two main characters, Cage and Rose, are fantastic. Everything else is just kind of built around them. Cruise and Blunt kill it, making you really root for our heroes. Some people bashed the ending, and I’ll have to let you judge for yourself. I liked it though. All in all, this is a solid summer flick. The music and some of the characters are forgettable, but this one’s definitely unique. If you miss it in theaters, check out Edge of Tomorrow when it hits DVD and Netflix. It’s definitely worth your time. Or check out the book is was based on, All You Need Is Kill.
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