Summary
Oblivion, directed by Joseph Kosinski and featuring Tom Cruise, is a science fiction film from 2013 where a post apocalyptic civilization is the setting. The film deals with the concept of memories, identity, love and real existence of a person. The story takes place on a future Earth after a great annihilation and conflict. The planet is now abandoned and unlike anything human civilization have seen.
Oblivion captures the viewers due to its intricate and moving story. The landscapes on the other hand are simply stunning. Besides the elegant, dystopian and futuristic tone, the film demonstrates the strength and resolve of humanity.
Plot
In the year 2077, the planet Earth is devoid of human life. During the past 60 years, the Earth has been home to a great civil war and conflict due to the invasion of aliens. Humans had to pay a heavy price, but managed to win the war. Sadly, the Earth is now damaged and 60\% of the surface is utterly uninhabitable.
The remaining populace has settled in commonly known as The Tet, a sprawling space station above Earth. Drom there, they intend to set for Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, to explore a new chapter for humanity. Meanwhile, a set of drones harvest the dying remnants of Earth’s energy.
Jack Harper, a character played by Tom Cruise, works as a technician for the Earth division. Harper’s responsibilities include maintaining drones that protect the machines harvesting energy from the ocean. Together with his partner, Victoria, played by Andrea Riseborough, they dwell in a sleek, futuristic tower situated above the clouds. Victoria is in charge of keeping track of Jack’s missions and sends real-time updates to their commander, Sally, stationed on the Tet.
Jack and Victoria have been informed that, for security reasons, their memories have been wiped. Jack, despite being a devoted employee, works dreaming of another life with a particular emphasis on a particular women — a woman that for some unexplained reason, is familiar. These remnants of Earth just before the war, illustrate the notion that there is certainly an element from Jack’s life that has been concealed.
While surveying an area in the vast wastelands of the Earth, Jack stumbles upon a wrecked spaceship, which contains people in suspended animation. Among the occupants is a lady who seems strangely familiar to Jack, “the Woman”, played by Olga Kurylenko. The sight of her makes Jack dwell on things he had long placed in the most remote corners of his mind. Why does he recognize her? What was she doing on Earth of all places?
After much deliberation, Jack comes to the conclusion that the only option is to keep Julia and himself a secret up until the truth is found out, which is exactly what he does. Over time, he runs into a secret civilization on the planet Earth, which is presided over by a certain Malcolm Beech, played by the one and only Morgan Freeman. The people of this lost civilization claim that the history Jack was fed is a mere civilization, and they replace it with far more elaborate and turbulent narratives.
It is in this shocking answer that the people of the past are changed into the saviors of every future. For they give Jack the pieces of a puzzle he has to put together in order to master the art of hope. And in doing so, he realizes that it is the hope that comes from knowing the truth which makes him more than what he ever thought himself to be, and the truth is, is that the Tet paints it self to Jack in a very distorted way.
In order to change the course of humanity, Jack has to face the decision that sets in motion all the consequences one would expect after such an act. The very future set forth in the riddles he has to untangle.
Main Characters
Jack Harper (Tech 49)- A ghostly technician who is devoted to his work but troubled by some memories which feel out of place. His character is the one that lies at the center of the film and is novel in trying to uncover the mysterious vistas of the world.
Victoria “Vika” Olsen – Jack’s “wife” who’s more like an aide because she meticulously abides by the instructions given and optimistically believes in the success of the mission. Her bond with Jack starts to fester after she notices his newfound world of uncertainties.
Julia Rusakova – One of the more complex characters in the plot. She is the one with whom Jack dreams of and the one who possesses his past. She is fiercely smart, courageous, and a character who has a pivotal role in the puzzle.
Malcolm Beech – Perhaps the most pivotal angle of the film, Beech is a moth of sorts, which Jack can protect and hides. Beech is uncharacteristically calm and wise while playing the role of the leader to the merry folk left behind in residual Earth. His words brush a different reality over Jack and he reminds him to try and honor his emotions.
Sally – One of the main antagonists of the story, company of the Tet. She dictates the daily work duties of him and his partner with a monotonous engine of voice. Dispite her forced laughter, she embodies darkness and restraint.
Themes
The film itself is woven through a number of complexities of emotion and philosophy spanning from memory and identity to the purpose we are set on the world alive.
While the overall plot of the story revolves as Jack trying to find himself, through him, the film sheds light the world of memories and the significance of identity.
Love and Human Connection: The connection Jack and Julia share is deep and real, serving as a reminder that love can transcend even time and memory.
Truth and Perception: The film sheds light on Jack as he starts viewing the world from a different lens and how the truth can be hidden behind a web and constructs of control. It urges its audience to see what is beyond the surface.
Sacrifice and Purpose: The conduct of Jack, in the later parts of the film, illustrates how motivation can influence a person to act out of self-interest, and in turn serve selflessly to the society.
Visual and Sound Design
Oblivion’s most memorable features is its distinctive visual style. The film constructs a future Earth of sprawling deserts, collapsed cities, and azure skies. Bare, white, and minimalist, designs of Jack’s tower, the Bubbleship, and the drones, evoke a sense of distance and tranquility.
The cinematography often juxtaposes the serene and beautiful Earth with the Tet and its technology’s cold, mechanical nature. Every frame is filled with a sense of depression, which simultaneously mirrors Jack’s inner feelings.
M83, a noted French electronic band, heightens the emotional intricacy of the film with score. Ethereal and expansive, the music captures the film’s contemplative elements and aids in constructing the enveloping experience.
Critical Reception
Tom Cruise’s performance, coupled with the film’s imaginative visuals and thoughtful story, garnered praise for Oblivion. Critics remarked that the film addresses grandiose concepts while concentrating on the personal and emotionally resonant. While some found the pacing slow and the plot complex, others relished the intricacy and craftsmanship.
Oblivion offers a balance between action and contemplative stillness, earning its place as a distinguished work within the science fiction genre. Its design, atmosphere, and story provide an alternative to the relentless speed of other films, steering viewers on a journey toward self-discovery and truth.
Conclusion
The reflective nature of Oblivion encourages viewers to consider the rather unexamined aspects of their existence and humanity, which is to say, the unexamined parts within. The film tackles memory, love, and the tremendous strength in unaccepting what is told, all with its intricately built landscapes, thoughtful main character, and emotional depth. Oblivion is more than just a work of fiction set in the future.
Oblivion resonates with viewers for its imagery, soundtrack, and narration (in no particular order) and provides a notable experience. It proves how, in a universe that appears unorthodox and unrecognizable, an individual’s spirit still desires answers and affection.
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