Oblivion. Rated M (science fiction violence and
infrequent coarse language). 125 minutes. Directed by Joseph Kosinski.
Screenplay by Joseph Kosinski, Karl Gajdusek and Michael Arndt.
Verdict: A verbose, fatally-flawed script mars a potential
classic.
With his directorial debut
TRON: Legacy (2010), Kosinski
was revealed to be a filmmaker of our time. His masterful use of
state-of-the-art motion picture technology that powered the story rather than
distracted from it (or replaced it entirely), marked him as a director to
watch. Darren Gilford’s flawless production design and Claudio Miranda’s (Life of Pi) superb cinematography
ensured that Kosinski’s vision for his film was brought to the screen in
breath-taking visual style. Expectations for the trio’s next big-screen
adventure were high, so the only question that needs to be asked in relation to
Oblivion is why has it all gone
so wrong?
