Edge of Tomorrow

A Japanese novel with a Beatles-sounding title, Hiroshi Sakurazaka's All You Need Is Kill, was the basis for director Doug Liman's new sci-fi film, Edge of Tomorrow.

In yet another crummy future, eerie aliens called Mimics invade. They take out much of Europe with their adaptive abilities. Humans develop powered exoskeletons, Jackets, to fight them. The best soldier in the war is Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), "The Angel of Verdun."

Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) used to be an ad-executive. Now he's been sent to the front-lines as a jacket-wearing soldier. He'll be part of the human resistance's final assault whether he likes it or not. But the Mimics get the drop on them and kill the resistance. Cage kills a particular Mimic and is splashed with its blood...

Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) used to be an ad-executive. Now he's been sent to the front-lines as a jacket-wearing soldier. He'll be part of the human resistance's final assault whether he likes it or not. But it seems he's been through this before. The Mimics foil the assault and kill the resistance. Cage dies too...

Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) used to be an ad-executive. Now he's been sent to the front-lines as a jacket-wearing soldier. He'll be part of the human resistance's final assault whether he likes it or not. Cage now knows what'll happen next. The Mimics foil the assault and kill the resistance. Cage meets Vrataski, who also knows what'll happen next...

Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) ... is in a time loop. The Mimic's blood gave him their ability to reset time, which is their secret to success. He meets Vrataski again and realizes she's been through this before; in fact, that's how she got so good at killing Mimics. To stop the time loop and the Mimics, they'll have to find and destroy the central Mimic, the Omega.

You can best describe this as Starship Troopers meets Groundhog Day. Or rather, a video game of Starship Troopers. Plenty of enemies to shoot, amazing visuals and the ability to reset once you die. Makes the audience wish they can play it. It's still exciting, though.

The screenplay, by Christopher McQuarrie and Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, initially has fun messing with Cage. Particularly so when he's offed in pathetically careless circumstances. But as the film goes on, we realize the downside of his situation. If the film is one big video game, then its main concept deconstructs the infinite continue. Losing a video game level repeatedly is soul crushing; losing your life especially so.

Cruise helps the film out of any potential dark spots. As Cage, he starts off as nothing but a coward. But we still find him likable and amusing. His many deaths may seem repetitively annoying, but that's the point. We want him to succeed; his climb from coward to warrior is a satisfying one.

Only a few of the other cast members get noticeable development. Most obviously is Blunt, who makes for a compelling shell-shocked warrior. Another is Bill Paxton, who plays our heroes' heavy drawled Commanding Officer.

Edge of Tomorrow is available, as usual, in both 3D and Flatscreen formats. See it either way; you'll still get the same amazing premise either way. See it multiple times if you want a similar experience.