Edge of Tomorrow: A Refreshing and Smart Entry into the Sci-Fi Genre

Written by Anthony Watkins

Live. Die. Repeat. This becomes the new life of Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), a man who was forcibly entered into the battlefield against an alien race called "Mimics", who have begun taking over Europe. Completely inexperienced in physical combat and lacking any confidence, Cage is quickly killed by a Mimic. However, when he awakes, he finds himself in the same spot he was the previous morning: on a military base at Heathrow Airport under the command of Sergeant Farell (Bill Paxton). As he continuously lives the same day over and over again, he eventually encounters Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), who reveals that she once had the same gift (or rather problem) he has. Joining her, Cage discovers more about the Mimics and why he received his power, and forms a mission with Vrataski to take down the alien race and save humanity.

The Story and Design of the Aliens and Battle Suits

With so many Science-Fiction films dealing with aliens over the years, it can be difficult to create an original screenplay with creative designs for the aliens. However, Edge of Tomorrow manages to really excel in both key areas. While the “time-loop” aspect certainly is not original (having been done most famously in Harold Ramis’ Groundhog Day), Edge of Tomorrow manages to put an interesting spin on it. I don’t want to spoil the film for those of you who have yet to see it, but the time-loop element plays a vital role not only for Cage and Vrataski, but especially for the alien race. You walk away from the film asking yourself, “Wow, what IF an alien race actually had this power? We wouldn’t stand a chance.”

The design of the aliens needs to be praised for its uniqueness from the aliens we’re used to seeing (perhaps from Predator or District 9). These are lightning-fast, roaring creatures, not the slow-moving, screeching aliens from Alien or Independence Day. Again, I won’t go in-depth on it for those of you who haven’t seen the film, but the unique power the alien race possesses is especially creative and unique to the film. 

A look at the design of the Mimics in Edge of Tomorrow.

Another strong element of the film was the creative design of the human battle suits worn by the military to combat the Mimics. These are intricately-designed futuristic suits that possess a staggering amount of firepower necessary to battle the aliens, as ordinary guns wouldn't match up to the aliens' strength and power. They end up effectively contributing to the mise-en-scene and story world by displaying the grittiness and violence of combat, while also displaying the future setting of the film.

A look at Emily Blunt in her battle suit.

Blend of Humor, Cast Chemistry, and Gender Roles

Something that always makes a Sci-Fi film fun and more entertaining is if the screenplay leaves room for humor. This is utilized to lighten the mood and temporarily relieve the tension in the film. Edge of Tomorrow again excels in this area. This is partly due to the great chemistry that emerges between lead actors Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt as they develop the mission to save humanity.

It should also be noted that this isn’t your typical Tom Cruise vehicle: in the film he portrays a weak, confidence-lacking individual who needs a female character (Vrataski) to guide him and train him so he can successfully defeat the Mimics in battle. Emily Blunt quoted, “In these male-fueled genres, it’s usually the woman who’s holding the hand of the guy and he’s running through explosions leading her, and I wanted to be doing the leading. This was the extreme idea of what I ever thought I’d want to do” (The Big Story). Alicia Lutes, in writing an article for Bustle, referred to Blunt’s role as “refreshingly and unapologetically feminist.” She noted, “This is very much counter to the age-old ideals about ladies being the constant, delicate flowers of emotional heart-string pulling” (Bustle). So Edge of Tomorrow also succeeds in challenging the norm of gender roles in today’s films and in society in general.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Edge of Tomorrow is a refreshing entry into the Science-Fiction canon, and (in my opinion) the most aesthetically sound Science-Fiction film since Rian Johnson’s Looper in 2012. Edge of Tomorrow, possessing great chemistry in its lead actors, is a well-written thriller that effectively blends Sci-Fi action and humor, and goes as far as speaking out about gender roles in films and society. This, combined with fantastic visual effects and alien design, makes Edge of Tomorrow a must-see film of 2014. 

Works Cited

Cohen, Sandy. “Blunt reveals new toughness in ‘Edge of Tomorrow’.” Big Story. 4 June
            2014. 11 Oct. 2014. <http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/blunt-reveals-new-toughness-edge-tomorrow>.

Lutes, Alicia. “Emily Blunt’s ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ Role is Refreshingly &
            Unapologetically Feminist.” Bustle. 6 June 2014. 11 Oct. 2014.
            <http://www.bustle.com/articles/26760-emily-blunts-edge-of-tomorrow-role-is-refreshingly-         
            unapologetically-feminist>.