Edge of Tomorrow: Its like Groundhogs Day with Guns and Aliens!

Today is the day, just like yesterday and the day before that. This is the conundrum Major William Cage must go through begrundgingly in this sci-fi flick about a man who inherits the ability to reset time and "go back to his last save point." Based off of the japanese short novel, "All You Need is Kill," it relates closely to the theme of the story itself while diverging off in the middle to make its own conclusions.

 The 381st attempt on Rita's life

Down and Dirty:

This movie is very entertaining all the way up to the ending where it decides to confuse the shit out of you. The graphics were decent, but a bit strange on the alien life forms. They look like an angler fish meets a flying spaghetti monster meets a spastic rave party squid. The bad part is the driving force of why the alien life landed on Earth is mentioned, but never truly addressed.

There was no skimping on the action. If you are looking for lots of fighting and death, you will get more than your share of it. The interaction between Cage and Rita are great and you can feel Cage getting closer to her as he watches her horribly die hundreds of times throughout the film. I really enjoyed how they made you go through the trials with Cage, but not force you to relive it constantly, revealing new pieces of story with each successful trial to keep your interested. Probably the best part about the film is the music, very action packed with lots of horns and brass to bring in the strong thumping movement of war.

The Story:

This is a future not so distant from our own where aliens have invaded Earth and have embedded themselves all over Europe. The United Defense Forces are about to storm the beaches of Normandy just like their great ancestors in World War 2, however what they don't know is that there is a slaughter waiting for them on the other side. The enemy knows they are coming, they have been through this day before and they have succeeded in setting up their forces to effectively destroy the dominant life form known as humans. This clever movie chronicles Major Cage and his attempts to save the human race with Rita Vrastaski, AKA "Full Metal Bitch" or  "The Angel of Verdan," who happened to share that same power Cage inherited in the past.

Characters:

That's a nice stache Sergeant Farell

MSgt Farell - Bill Paxton is hilarious as the very chipper MSgt Farell. I didn't even recognize him, he looked so different. His demeanor feels very much like an Army sergeant, minus all the yelling. The cheekiness combined with his strict, by the book attitude really brought me back to some of my old training days. Most of the time I was giggling at his very confused face when Cage was always one step ahead of him. I couldn't stop laughing at him giving Cage the "eye" like "What are you up to, son?" I also liked how he used small talk to get Cage to go where he wanted him to go.

Intent to kill, again and again and again

Rita - She is the connection between Major Cage's issue and the rest of the world. Rita has experienced what Cage is going through in the past, therefore helps explain his condition and prods him into helping her finish what she started years back in the Battle of Verdan. Rita is a seasoned, decorated warrior with mad fighting skills and nerves of steel. She has no issues with dying and is the strong driving force in convincing Cage that the only way for humanity to survive is to kill the creature that started it. Rita also helps out by making sure Cage keeps his abilities by killing him each time he is wounded.

From terrified, helpless rabbit...

Cage - Major Cage starts out as a smart, but cowardly officer that has never been in combat in his life. Forced to go onto the front lines to film the fighting on the beaches, he refuses and then is arrested, stripped of his rank and tossed in with the other scum maggots going to war. While Cage is frightened of certain death, he manages to kill an Alpha that ends up transferring the Omega's abilities to Cage so he could reset the day.

To bad ass from hell...Cage bum rushes a mimic

When Cage begins to realize what is going on, he starts training with Rita. Becoming better and more seasoned as a fighter after each death, Cage becomes increasingly bold, strong and sometimes cold to the deaths around him. He starts caring about the one person who understands his problems, Rita and is forced to watch her die hundreds of times until he can kill the Omega. In the movie, we see Cage transform from a selfish, coward to a fearless warrior dedicated to finishing the mission and save mankind.

Don't mind me, I've only been working on this for years...

Dr. Carter - This man represents the information dump / tech dude that pieces the last part of the puzzle together for Cage to finish off the Omega. He tells him about how the Omega works as well as invents a cool device that can plug into the central nervous system of the Omega to find its true location. Dr. Carter is played by Noah Taylor. For those of you who are Game of Thrones fans, he is Locke, a bannerman of Lord Bolton. He is most famous for brutally chopping off Jaime Lannister's hand. It was super weird to see him as "nice guy scientist."


What Cage Should Have Reset:

This definitely looks like a first person shooter.

1. Flying Spaghetti Monsters/Zerg/Reavers/Black Ninja Starfish - 

Whatever these things were, they were insane. They reminded me of the reavers from Gears of War, moved like ninja star fish, rave pulsed when they were communicating and sounded like zerg when they were dying. I don't blame Cage for not wanting to get close to these things, they are scary as shit.





2. Air Traffic Control Must Be Going Berserk - 

At least 5O transporters rose in the air at once, a couple coming dangerously close to the control tower. This definitely must have drove the air traffic control people up the wall. I mean I know they were all supposed to attack at once, but isn't there another way besides air drops? Remember that branch called the Navy? Just stating the options people!

3. The Hiding Spot - 

If the Omega was actually in France, why did the chart of the infestation expansion start off in the middle of Europe? Seems weird, doesn't it? Did they just pop out of a hole in the middle of Switzerland or something? Wouldn't some one realize something crash landed in Paris, France...into the Louffe? How did this information not get reported?

4. How Did They Lose Him? -

How did nobody notice Cage roll out of formation? Even if J Squad were looking at the ground while doing push ups [which is not even a correct way to do one any way] you would figure they would have saw or felt movement when Cage rolled toward the truck. Right? Also why weren't people actively looking for Cage afterward? They could have put out a Code Red or something and he would have been snapped up immediately. Did they just not care as much that people disappeared? I know, I know...if that happened, he would never get to Rita. I'm just saying. The military isn't that incompetent.

Are you sure he is not a Lannister?

5. The General is a Total Dick to Cage -

Two times he tries to arrest and murder Cage. The first time he purposely throws him out there to the wolves and LIED on his transcripts and the second time he seemed like he is going to let him go and then alerts the guards so they can apprehend him outside the building. What the hell General! You are a two face asshole.

6. Card Eating - 

This activity still eludes me. Why are we eating the playing cards again? Seems like a great way to create blockage in your digestive track and die.

7. J Squad is Horribly Unstructured and Untrained - 

Not only are they incapable of putting on the same clothes for formation, but they put on clothes that are not even proper attire for PT. Long pants and jackets seem really hot for a run. Griff goes as far as wearing a flower shirt in formation. In fact nobody is in correct formation it seems. Some are wearing hats, some are wearing regular clothes, some have facial hair and all kinds of crap. Seriously people? Did they just sign up these fresh recruits pop them in a suit and pushed them out the door to die? It doesn't even sound like they even tried to train them to fight. This rag tag team of rejects are a horribly ineffective team thanks to the unsuperior training of the United Defense Forces. Also why can the other people in J Squad talk, but as soon as Cage says something, everyone is doing pushups?


8. J Squad is a Total Dick to Cage - 

Granted Cage was a complete coward, but you are going to purposely keep the safety on and not tell him where its at? Damn dude. At least give him a lesson or two! Letting some one die just to die seems pretty cruel considering you may need every soldier to fight for the fate of the world.

9. I Have What You Had - 

I thought this line was hysterical because it sounds like he got an STD or something. Hey Rita, I have what you had...THANKS FULL METAL BITCH FOR SHARING IN THE PAIN!

1O. Right Hand / Left Hand Traffic - 

France is a right-handed traffic country, but Rita is clearly British. Why didn't she had a more difficult time driving this car that was designed for right-handed traffic? Why didn't she attempt to go on the left hand side first before realizing to stay on the right?

11. Presentation Board - 

And....he happened to have a light table with everything hidden in an old room in a manufacturing facility because.....? That was overly convenient for no reason whatsoever. Was this his private room? Does he tinker with shit in there during breaks? Does both Rita and Dr. Carter get together at times to chit chat about the design of the Omega, Alphas and what not just in case some one like Cage comes along? It just seemed like a weird place to store such important data.

^^^ This should never happen. Suit batteries are cheap.

12. Armor Protection - 

Horrific. Who builds an exosuit with so many vulnerabilities and exposure? Its like they want nobody to survive. At the same time they build these things with FINITE battery life so if you run out of battery, just consider yourself dead because you won't have any protection, nor much fire power to survive. Also why did they put the battery in the back? If you can steal a battery off of a dead troop how are they going to get it back there? Was this thing built with stupid in mind or what? And why does fatso get more protection than the rest? He looked like a tanker for a MMORPG.

13. Drop planes - 

Who thought it was a brilliant idea to drop soldiers through suspended lines? Seriously? This was the United Defense Forces grand idea to get the soldiers to the battlefield? Hundreds of drop ships full of twenty soldiers each when they should be packing at least 5O to 1OO? That seemed horribly planned for a surprise invasion. You know even the Japanese in WW2 would try to knock down planes and then collect the assholes parachuting down afterward. Why is nobody TLAMing the shit out of Europe first?

14. Old Clinton - 

There is a press coverage shot of Hilary Clinton in the beginning of the film. How old is Hilary Clinton when this happens? It seems like it could happen next year and some how we would quickly adapt and survive. Seeing a video of Clinton made me wonder, would we unite that quickly to fight a common threat? Some how I feel the answer is no.

15. Cloud's Sword of Justice - 

Anyone realize that massive cleaver Rita was holding looked super familiar? It looks like a very similar replica of Cloud's buster sword from Final Fantasy 7. Some how I don't think that was an accident, perhaps a nod to the story's Japanese roots? I wonder why MORE soldiers didn't have a cleaver of their own considering that its a very reusable and cost effective weapon. Its like the sword from Pacific Rim...why not use that shit in the beginning and not when all else fails?

16. Suit Building - 

The battle suits look like some pretty advanced shit and need consistent, top notch manufacturing to put more doomed soldiers in. But why allow people to build the suits? With all the automation going on today, you are telling me they can't program a machine to build these things through an assembly line? And who gets the battle tank version compared to the regular kind? A factory machine would build hoards of these much faster than any set of humans in existence. And they complain less too.

17. Swimming Deep Below - 

Squishy Squishy Squishy Squishy...

There is no effing way Major Cage could swim that fast toward the Omega at the bottom. The force pushing against him would tire him out quickly. Cage would drown before he reached the bottom.

18. Helmets - 

WHY IS NO ONE USING THEIR DAMN HELMETS? At least he made the cute remark it slows him down. I will give him that one. But damn dude, get some protection.

19. Hat in formation - 

I know they needed a fast distinction marker to identify Cage, but he is literally the only shit bag in formation wearing a hat besides MSgt Farell.

2O. Bionic Man Syndrome - 

This problem exists in every action movie ever. Cage survives several rib cracking, back breaking falls even though this was his last chance on Super Nintendo Hard Mode with no do overs. He also gets dragged by a plane through the concrete and water, gets tossed several yards, down a shaft, hits a piece of concrete and drops onto a car. Then STILL saves Rita chick from dying from a slab of concrete. Insane.

21. Nobody Remembers Cage - 

Remember in the beginning how there were like 3O people just chilling in the room in front of the Generals office? How did Cage and Rita walk right in? With a GUN at that? There was no metal detector in a federal building holding a high position officer? REALLY? There seemed like at least 35 armed guards just patrolling around that place out of boredom. You are saying no one recognized Cage or even stopped him from walking into the UDF Commander's office? I don't care how good he is, that's a path that is impossible to not get past without being spotted. What about his secretary? Aren't secretaries always near or next to a commanding officer's office doors? You couldn't get past them without them giving you the stink eye.

Rita and her Squad of well armored thugs

22. Rita Has Super Bitch Balls of Steel - 

Not only does she sock some dude in the face just because he was being a little shit, she owns her name "Full Metal Bitch" and hacks every murderous, invertebrate on the battlefield, refuses to play it safe like a woman and take the back seat, then demands an answer from an Officer because he disturbed her sexy yoga session. Rita...I salute you. You are my new favorite girl crush.




23. Exosuit Guy - 

And while Rita and Cage make their get away from the General's office there is a guy in an exosuit just hanging around WHY? Every guard in that building is wearing a regular uniform and this exosuit guy just happens to be walking around [or maybe trying to run away from battle?] and stops an on coming car with his suit. Its a cool shot, but this makes no sense.

24. Power Stealing Theory - 

If Cage stole their power, how did the Omega know he was coming at the end? There were quite a lot of mimics just hanging around and the Omega still has the ability to make a mistake because it never lived the day. Also if the Alpha was out for Cage's blood, why wouldn't he get it after Cage drowned? Cage kills the Alpha and the blood transfers onto him, Alpha rips Cage a new one and drowns him and.....Cage still gets to keep his abilities?

Also why would these Alphas need to exist? If this was the Omega's one weakness, why have them in the first place? What can the Alpha do that the other minions could not? They stated the mimics were the claws and the Alpha's were the nervous system. Besides killing them transfers their power, are they useful for anything else?

Last, if the power is to reset the day, why did Cage reset it 2 days prior after killing the Omega? How long has the Omega been there before the events of Cage going to Europe? Shouldn't this have reset the day the Omega came to the planet?

25. Kimmel [the fat recruit] Had a Bear on His Chest - 
Did anyone notice this? He has a teddy bear strapped to his chest. Now I wonder if Kimmel has a son/daughter and the aliens just murdered their father.

26. Old Fart - 

Is it me or is Tom Cruise REALLY looking old in this movie? It's as if time finally caught up to him and now he is forced to accept that he no longer can continue playing a young action hero. He's got super bags under his eyes and some sagging going on. No make up in the world could cover up the reality of Cruise's ungraceful aging. Not that its necessarily a bad thing. Everyone has to get old at some point. I just thought he was immortal, that's all. I wonder if Scientology can fix this problem...



So overall the movie was good. Did it have its flaws? A few. However it had a lot of really great moments and good fluidity of action. I was VERY impressed by the editing done on this film. They kept it to the point and easy to follow as Cage navigates through his nightmare of reliving the same day over and over again. The characters were interesting and the story gave a strong Groundhog's day / Starship Troopers feel to it that made it both entertaining and strong as a story.

What did you like about Edge of Tommorrow? Did you agree with the review or am I full of it? COMMENT and let the SHIT TALKING BEGIN!

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DnD Rating: 9/1O

After Credits? Nope, just walk out.