Empire - "One of 2014's most entertaining surprises"
Though the film is hiding many other film conventions underneath its gritty surface (including “Groundhog Day” and “Starship Troopers”), it’s very welcoming despite the large amount of familiarity. The film resonates ideas of gaming and its culture alongside a drily witty script that takes the edge off some of the complicated concepts. Although the writers make it deliberately unclear how many times he’s relived the day, which adds an interesting tension, it’s a shame that the deaths don’t have more of an impact. Ignoring this, Cage’s (Tom Cruise) character progression and interaction with Rita (Emily Blunt) is well done, as well is the pyrotechnics that Liman has returned to form on after his previous forgettable films. It’ll likely stand out as summer 2014’s most entertaining surprises.
Full Review here: Empire
Full Review here: Empire
Screen Rant - "Entertaining and Refreshingly Different"
Tagged as a “Groundhog Day” meets “Starship Troopers”, this film is a slick B-Movie. Doug Liman manages to bring an imaginative sci-fi action movie to life, with the time loop theme not getting gimmicky or overused at any point, which is a feat in itself. The sci-fi elements are well realised, such as the adversary of the mimics, which are a unique and frightening concept that are thrilling, entertaining and refreshingly different, much like the action sequences. An admitted downside to the film is the somewhat undercooked relationship aspect of the story, but despite this Cruise is solid in his leading role with Blunt is all beauty and grace as the co-star. In the end, the film is impressive for what it is with hints that it could have been something greater.
Full Review here: Screen Rant
Full Review here: Screen Rant
Rolling Stone - "Liman keeps the action and surprises coming nonstop”
Despite the concept of a human-versus-alien epic with the idea from “Groundhog Day” not sounding doable, this film keeps you on edge. It’s a treat to watch Cruise lose his shit, panicking as he is forced to battle against truly stunning and terrifying creatures, known as the mimics, whilst donning an exo suit he wasn’t taught to use. He then dies, until director Doug Liman channels his cinematic pizazz he has shown in other works, like “The Bourne Identity”, hits the reset button and forces to relive the day. Working from a clever script that Christopher McQuarrie, Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (which seems to draw influence from “All You Need is Kill”), Liman keeps the action and surprises coming nonstop. Although the end is a little bit of a head scratcher, Cruise and Blunt make dying a hugely entertaining game of chance.
Full Review here: Rolling Stone
Full Review here: Rolling Stone
Plugged In - “Well-crafted, well-acted explosive chunk of summer”
Repeatedly referred as a combination of the romcom fantasy “Groundhog Day” and the sci-fi blaster “Starship Troopers”, but isn’t as silly as the flick or as gruesome as the splatter fest of the other. What we are shown is well-crafted, well-acted explosive chunk of summer entertainment. The film captures the broad spirit of the Japanese graphic novels of “All You Need Is Kill”, with the story of a guy who starts out fearful and self-centred reshaping into a bona fide hero by reliving the same day of pain and war over and over. Although we see the same battlefield and events over and over, the picture is still intense. This movie does however, brush up uncomfortably against the real-life quandary of death as a method of solving problems in the training scenes. Despite this the movie has a very good tale of having to fight for things that are worth it.
Full Review here: Plugged IN
Full Review here: Plugged IN
The Guardian - “The film reworks old tropes with wit and brio”
Anyone who watches a lot of blockbuster cinema soon hardens to the familiarity of most of the ideas. Well, here’s something else a bit more interesting to counter that. Despite seeming that the mix of “Alien” and “Groundhog Day”, which is surely flogging two dead horses at once, it manages to break the chain of formulaic repetition and comes out surprisingly fresh. James Herbert’s editing throws us in and out of the action, replaying the day with a jerk each time, with rhythmic variations and Director Doug Liman is astute at judging when the concept is wearing thin and when to open up something new. It’s refreshing to see Cruise as a hapless and unlikable dork, as well as seeing Emily Blunt as the warrior figure. While hardly a game changer, the film reworks its old tropes with wit and brio and it’s a pleasure to see to see a film to utterly brazen about its own derivative nature, that almost makes you want to see a sequel.
Full Review Here: The Guardian
Full Review Here: The Guardian
Our Review - "Fantastic Humour and ability to keep you watching"
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