Create a film about a man who has to relive the same day over and over again, and people will inevitably start to compare it to the movie “Groundhog Day.” Here, it is often used for comic effect, as a way to relieve some of the film’s tenser moments. Tom Cruise, with his goofy grin, and Emily Blunt with her deadpan stare, make for a great onscreen duo, and their performances help to raise the film above some of its flaws. Though I didn’t know what to initially expect from “Edge of Tomorrow,” I could see it easily becoming one of the summer’s surprise hits.
“Edge of Tomorrow” is set in a dystopian future that is so often seen in science fiction. An alien race called the Mimics have already destroyed much of Europe, reducing entire cities to ashes. At a battle on the beaches of France, Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) ends up luckily killing a giant Mimic called an Alpha, and after its blood lands on him, he somehow gains the ability to travel back in time to the day before.
After several repeats, Cage eventually realizes that he can benefit from his situation, since he has a complete knowledge of the events of the day. It is in these moments that “Edge of Tomorrow” most closely resembles “Groundhog Day.” I was always reminded of the scene in “Groundhog Day” when Bill Murray’s character had memorized every step he needed to take in order to steal a bag of money from an armored truck. In similar fashion, Cage must create the perfect series of moments so that he can not only escape the battle on the beach, but also try to stop the enemy in its entirety, along with the help of Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). As to be expected, things do not always go so well, resulting in some unfortunate accidents. (Including one where Cage not-so-smoothly attempts a barrel roll under an army truck, resulting in a sickening crunch).
How often do you wish you could simply “reset,” and start a day over again from the beginning, as many times as you wanted to? You could easily ace job interviews, be better at first dates, win the lottery, learn new skills, even get away with crimes. In reality, though, it would probably be just as frustrating or even depressing as it is for Cage in “Edge of Tomorrow.” Yet, it’s fun to think about all the same, and the movie capitalizes on this.
The rewind, repeat motion does just about wear out its welcome after a while. The thrilling moments in-between are more than worth it, though, in which Cage and Rita power through hordes of slithering Mimics, taking each of them out with ease, since Cage has already told Rita how exactly to attack them. The chemistry between the two is a driving force of the film, since they play polar opposites: Cruise is an arrogant, clueless army Major, who at first knows nothing of combat; while Blunt plays a hardened, upfront military soldier, who is, in fact, a recognizable symbol for the war. Opposites, as they say, do attract.
In a summer chock-full of sequels, prequels, prequel-sequels, reboots, and spinoffs, “Edge of Tomorrow” is refreshingly original. Though mainly an action-thriller, the time travel element to the film also creates a more light-hearted tone, making “Edge of Tomorrow” a great deal of fun. And, between “Oblivion,” “Jack Reacher,” and a new “Mission: Impossible” on the way, Cruise is fast coming back to the forefront of blockbuster cinema.