I saw Oblivion and it was Awesome

[Chiropteran]

I'm honestly shocked at the rotten tomatoes ratings. I went in with low expectations because RT has Oblivion at 56%, but man were those expectations wrong. It's easily the best movie I've seen since Avatar.

It's similar in vein to Moon, The Island, and The Matrix, all movies I enjoyed greatly, but different enough to tell a fresh new story. The pacing is absolutely perfect, and unlike some recent sci-fi movies (*cough* Prometheus) it has a a real satisfying conclusion. The technology and effects are plausible sci-fi, no magic or fantasy.

I suppose the poor reviews on RT were due to the crazy idea that sci-fi is supposed to mean an action movie with cool special effects. I don't agree with that view. It's not Avengers, it's not Dark Knight Rises, it isn't The Hobbit. The only comparable recent movie was Looper, which had a much less interesting story-line and is riddled with flaws, and yet still was a reasonably good and watchable movie. Oblivion, in my humble opinion, is much better than Looper.

 

[Tweak155]

I didn't like Avatar at all so that part didn't convince me. But if you thought Looper was bad I might agree (I thought it was very meh).

 

[Sonikku]

I thought it was ok. It was moderately entertaining, despite the fact that I knew 9/10 of the of the plot just seeing the trailer. It could have done with a little less Tom and a little more Morgan Freeman.

Spoiler

If I were that computer, I probably would not have been so god damn trusting, spending time, I don't know, KILLING an agent that has obviously gone rogue and a moment away from triggering a detonator instead of endlessly elaborating at how foolish they are and how it was their god.

 

[Chiropteran]

It was moderately entertaining, despite the fact that I knew 9/10 of the of the plot just seeing the trailer.

The big reveal in the trailer was really just a small part of the story. Did you really predict the rest of the movie based on that alone?

 

[jpeyton]

I saw it on IMAX, and I didn't do it because I expected to be blown away by the story. My nerdier reasons were:

First major studio release shot almost entirely with the Sony F65 wundercam (8k sensor, 4k output).

The entire movie was shot protected for IMAX (1:1.78), so it's not just "select" IMAX sequences, nor is it a reframed chop job.

Industrial design/set design was superb. SFX sequences were also flawless.

It's character driven on 3 main actors, Cruise (fantastic as always), Riseborough (also fantastic), Kurylenko (meh). Freeman and the rest were in very minor supporting roles.

Sound design was also superb, from the soundtrack to the chilling noises the drones made.

 

[Tweak155]

I saw it on IMAX, and I didn't do it because I expected to be blown away by the story. My nerdier reasons were:

First major studio release shot almost entirely with the Sony F65 wundercam (8k sensor, 4k output).

The entire movie was shot protected for IMAX (1:1.78), so it's not just "select" IMAX sequences, nor is it a reframed chop job.

Industrial design/set design was superb. SFX sequences were also flawless.

It's character driven on 3 main actors, Cruise (fantastic as always), Riseborough (also fantastic), Kurylenko (meh). Freeman and the rest were in very minor supporting roles.

Sound design was also superb, from the soundtrack to the chilling noises the drones made.

Sooo... was IMAX worth it?

 

[maddogchen]

i liked it. But some parts just didn't make sense to me.

Spoiler

TET had so many droids on the ship, why would tech 47's team not have parts and more droids if there were so many on the ship? If there were more droids, they would have been a more effective team and he might not have gone and found the russian girl. And the ending was too much like Independence Day to me.

 

[KlokWyze]

Friend saw this and didn't like it, but I don't respect his opinion on new movies really. He gets swept away by the hype too easily. I'm always interested in sci-fi so I will probably check this out.

 

[jpeyton]

Sooo... was IMAX worth it?

Yes it was. IMAX is almost always worth it, because it's the one screen in the cinema where they don't f**k around with the quality of the projection and sound. On the sound part, IMAX plays louder for some reason, especially on the low-end.

 

[Aharami]

IMAX is always worth it, for the sound alone!

 

[Connoisseur]

Yeah, I saw it. Was a good movie especially in terms of effects and the acting wasn't bad. My only gripes were some of the plot holes and other "duh" decisions by everyone involved just to keep the plot moving along.

Like any other sci-fi movie either party (good guys and bad guys) could've easily resolved the situation in their favor with a lot less drama if they'd just make one sensible decision at a couple of key points. BTW, how do you do the black highlighting to cover up the spoiler text?

Also, that one line from Horatius was pretty kickass but I think it was literally just used because it was kickass. It had no relevance to the story.

 

[KaOTiK]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. I avoided pretty much all promo material outside of the first trailer that came out long ago because I didn't want anything spoiled. I was very happy with it and will grab it on Blu Ray when it comes out.

 

[MisterJackson]

We saw it in IMAX on some free preview passes. The visuals and soundtrack were amazing. I thought the twists were good, and the story line was decent. They did do a good job of explaining/wrapping things up at the end. The main premise behind the movie def got you thinking about how the line between good guys and bad guys isn't always (hell rarely) clear,

As others have said, wish there was more Freeman and fewer plot holes (I usually overlook plot holes in a movie for the sake of entertainment, but this one had a few "WTF?" moments".



SPOILER: How was it that TET had the tech to read DNA from footprints and trails left by people, but couldn't pick up Morgan Freeman? That bugged the shit out of me. Especially considering TET was suspicious of Tom Cruise's intentions.

 

[KaOTiK]

SPOILER: How was it that TET had the tech to read DNA from footprints and trails left by people, but couldn't pick up Morgan Freeman? That bugged the shit out of me. Especially considering TET was suspicious of Tom Cruise's intentions.

It could read pheromone signatures, not DNA iirc. I would guess it couldn't read Freeman or any of the other survivors is because of the suits they wore?

 

[Sonikku]

I don't have an Imax anywhere near, but they tend to be worth it the times I have been to one. Not even so much for the better speakers and projection, but for the proper calibration. If the lower end cinemas with lower cost theaters just made the most of what they've got and calibrated their surround sound better, Imax wouldn't appear to be half as good a value as it is in contrast. Often times I can't even hear what an actor is saying which often comes off as a whisper in the face of a blasting soundtrack and/or explosions.

The big reveal in the trailer was really just a small part of the story. Did you really predict the rest of the movie based on that alone?

I gathered the moment it showed Morgan Freeman apparently underground and not on amicable terms with clean cut/clothed Cruise that the humans had most likely "lost" the war and Freeman was heading up some form of a human resistance, with tom being inadvertently enslaved and manipulated, working for the aliens in some capacity to help suck the world dry. A common cliche of aliens attempting to conquer Earth, they always go for the resources.

In any event, "Earth" probably was not saved in the end. If Earth was just one of many worlds the Aliens sucked dry to sustain their society then it stands to reason their collective forces were not just sticking around one plant for 60 years. They would have been expanding. When they no longer hear from their counterparts from Earth they'll be back. Sorry fellow Earthlings. :'(

 

[KeithTalent]

It looked fantastic, but the story was pretty pedestrian and honestly kind of dull. I liked it more than I disliked it, but it was kind of an average movie.

KT

 

[TwiceOver]

I wish I would have waited for it to be on TBS with commercials. At least then every 10 minutes or so something entertaining would come on the screen.

 

[Chiropteran]

It looked fantastic, but the story was pretty pedestrian and honestly kind of dull. I liked it more than I disliked it, but it was kind of an average movie.

You think so? What is your idea of a movie in the past year or two with a good story? I feel like this is the first movie I have seen in ages that actually had a new story instead of a rehash of the same old plots over and over.

It was similar to Moon or The Matrix, but not identical to either, which I feel is more than I can say for 95% of the movies out there.

Even Avatar, which I liked, was just the exact same story as The Last Samurai.

 

[KeithTalent]

You think so? What is your idea of a movie in the past year or two with a good story? I feel like this is the first movie I have seen in ages that actually had a new story instead of a rehash of the same old plots over and over.

It was similar to Moon or The Matrix, but not identical to either, which I feel is more than I can say for 95% of the movies out there.

Even Avatar, which I liked, was just the exact same story as The Last Samurai.

The Hunt, Cafe de Flore, The Master, Beast of the Southern Wild, Lawless, Safety Not Guaranteed, Melancholia, 50/50. I don't know, there are quite a few with decent stories that I liked.

This one had pieces of pretty much every single sci-fi movie ever made in it, 2001, Moon, Planet of the Apes, Matrix, etc. Not a terrible thing, it just felt pretty predictable and kind of boring.

KT

 

[xBiffx]

Movie was great even if it was absolutely predictable. I still enjoyed watching how it came together. Great special effects. Decent acting which was the biggest surprise.

Oh and,

Spoiler

Fuck you Sally.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I couldn't tell the 4k res. The adaptation from The Terminator, & Independence Day was a let down.

 

[silverpig]

I enjoyed it. It wasn't OMG awesome, but it was certainly money well spent.

 

[Connoisseur]

And there was HAL. Pretty much the most blatant movie ripoff i've ever seen short of an actual remake. Was still funny though

 

[K1052]

Went to see it last weekend since it's the first native Dolby ATMOS mix. Very impressive production, visuals, and sound. Story was kinda meh and they should have spent a little more time in the editing room.

I think part of the reason IMAX presentations are so sought out now is that the state of regular projection is so poor....even with digital. The problems I see at all the major chains are easily avoidable with just a little care. Instead I sit through a viewing of 42 at about 1/3 brightness because the 3D polarizer is on, the bulb is obviously flickering near the end of it's life, and light sources inside the auditorium are bleeding all over the screen.

 

[brianmanahan]

morrowind was better