Brayden Swathwood
Star Struck

“Oblivion”
2 1/2 out of 5 stars
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, sci fi

The year in film is off to a slow start and “Oblivion” continues this streak with another overrated flick. “Oblivion” was aiming to get an early leap into the summer movie craze but is not the summer quality fans are looking for.
The science fiction film stars Tom Cruise as a tech engineer repairing drones and avoiding dangerous scavengers. The main story consists of a major drone being shut off, and Cruise’s character must figure out how or why.
Following up on “Tron: Legacy” director Joseph Kosinski brings another major disappointment. He tries to make up for his poor job by adding a big name actor, Morgan Freeman. Sadly, Freeman, along with the rest of the cast, offered dull performances that should be added to an all-time low for all of them.
Most of the film is carried by the narration of Cruise with awful interruptions by the rest of the cast. Also, Cruise’s character has a lot of flashbacks standing on top of the Empire State Building years ago. Being years in the future, it does not add together.
“Oblivion” lacks a story: The first hour is nothing, introductions to a few characters who later on matter none.
A movie, which had the world on its shoulder, with trailers that hooked us like a fish, is a huge let-down.
Freeman was an underused character with about 25 minutes of screen time. He was by far the only thing that made this film worth watching besides the “surprising” twist.
Science fiction is supposed to take the mind on a journey, an adventure, and it›s job is to make you happy “Oblivion” does just the opposite. It makes you wish you were at home in bed and never having to get up.
Thankfully, Will Smith’s “After Earth” and the long-awaited “Star Trek” sequel are still in the running this year.