Tom Cruise is hopping around in time trying to win a war against invading aliens. Kidzworld reviews the Blu-ray for the futuristic, sci-fi war actioner Edge of Tomorrow.
By: Lynn Barker
What if you had to die over and over again until you got it right? Well, at least that is your fate until you figure out how to use all the repeat moments to defeat some really fast and mean invading aliens.
Officials think Cage (Tom Cruise) is crazy!Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Story Goes
In the near future, Public Relations honcho, non-combatant Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is happy “selling” how great the military is doing against invading aliens to a doubtful public when he is framed and sent into battle…with zero training. He ends up in an alien-created time loop that forces him to die again and again on the battlefield. Can he learn enough from each “trip” to defeat the aliens and survive?
Cage is dumped into battle unpreparedCourtesy of Warner Bros.
In the midst of his many mind-blowing time trips, Cage meets popular mega-soldier Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) and there is a growing attraction. He learns that she too has experienced the time loop but got out of it. Can the duo use the alien’s ability to control time against them?
Cage meets Rita for the first time...or is it the second?Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Special Features
On the Edge with Doug Liman – is the big “making of” feature. In a video director’s notebook, we see Liman working like a demon trying to keep up with Tom Cruise who does almost all his own stunts. The beach battle against the aliens is covered and Tom talks about why he wanted to work with Doug. We see the battle designs and early images of the aliens and watch Tom trying on and working in the heavy soldier exo-suit. The designer talks about the wardrobe and Emily tells us how heavy the suit was (like 70 pounds!) and what it was like doing her first action movie.
Cage (Tom Cruise) on the drop ship headed for battleCourtesy of Warner Bros.
We hear from other actors and see them in boot camp learning to be soldiers. We learn that Limon thought of the film more as a regular war movie than sci-fi/fantasy. Interesting, especially seeing that the script wasn’t set and the actors ad-libbed a lot of lines. Lots of location shoots and on set footage is included. It’s very much like we are visiting the set while all this is going on. Very good featurette!
Cage shields Rita during an attackCourtesy of Warner Bros.
Deleted Scenes – Some of these are extended scenes. One funny one involves Tom’s character first trying to walk in the heavy suit and breaking stuff. Some of these are pre-visual computer scenes. There is a bit more with Tom and Emily. Worth a watch
Operation Downfall: Adrenaline Cut – This is a feisty cut of the scene in which Tom lands on the beach and saves Emily; lots of alien action.
Storming the Beach – Limon talks about trying to make the beach landing like the Allies landing on Normandy Beach in WW II. He wanted to make the film more Saving Private Ryan than a sci-fi movie. We learn that the beach was built on a movie lot rather than shooting the scenes on location. When it rained, the “beach’ became a big mud pit. We see Tom getting dragged around on wires midst explosions. Fun.
Alien soldierCourtesy of Warner Bros.
Weapons of the Future – This extra focuses upon the suits and weaponry. We see the actors putting the suits on and learning all the weapons on the suits; rocket launchers, machine guns etc. Limon and Tom discuss why they actually put the actors in real suits rather than adding them on in computer later. Tom’s comment about working in the exo-suit: “This is a real workout!” Emily names her suit “Barbara” and talks about her character fighting with a helicopter blade as a sword. Visual and interesting.
Creatures Not of This World – More on the design of the aliens; concept sketches, computer tests and focusing on making these creatures unique to horror/sci-fi movies. There are three different types of aliens. If you are into creature design, this is a great feature.
Early concept art for the alien "mimic" creaturesCourtesy of Warner Bros.
Wrapping Up
There is no director’s commentary on this Blu-ray but with the thorough director’s notebook feature “On the Edge”, you get plenty of on site info about the making of the film so it’s not needed. The movie is loaded with cool human vs. alien action and there is a sick humor that works time and again as Tom Cruise’s character does repeats of action he’s already lived. You’ve gotta give props to Tom, Emily and the others for actually wearing 70 or 80 lb. suits while doing stunts and trying to deliver lines!
Cage and Rita (Emily Blunt) try to remember what happens nextCourtesy of Warner Bros.
The extras on this Blu-ray are pretty awesome. There are more on-set, you-are-there types of featurettes than usually seen on a Blu-ray and you hear plenty from the director, Tom, Emily and other actors on just how something was shot or developed etc. The extra on alien design is really interesting. If you love Cruise movies, action/war films or sci-fi, you will probably want to add this very complete Blu-ray/DVD/Digital film to your collection. We go 4 stars.
Edge of Tomorrow Blu-ray Rating: 
Edge of Tomorrow Blu-ray CoverCourtesy of Warner Bros.
Edge of Tomorrow is available on Blu-ray + DVD October 7th!
