Tom Cruise isn't just entertaining moviegoers with "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning" right now — one of his earlier projects is grabbing Prime Video subscribers' attention, too.
Joseph Kosinski's glossy 2013 sci-fi movie "Oblivion" was one of many new movies added to the Amazon streaming service this month, and it's rocketed straight to the No. 1 spot on the platform.
While the movie wasn't a critical darling, and Kosinski might now be better known for being behind the camera on "Top Gun: Maverick," this sci-fi effort (adapted from his own unpublished graphic novel) is a solid watch.
If you'd spied "Oblivion" at the top of Prime Video's charts and were considering adding it to your watchlist, here's a little more info about the film, and a round-up of reactions to help you make your mind up.
What is 'Oblivion' about?
"Oblivion" whisks us forward in time to 2077 and introduces us to repairman Jack Harper (Tom Cruise), who is seeing out his last few working days on an abandoned planet Earth that was devastated after a war with aliens known as "Scavengers."
He and his comms officer, Victoria, are due to relocate to a human colony very soon, though his world is turned upside down when he rescues a woman from a crashed spacecraft. This single act sets off a chain of events that embroils Jack in a desperate fight for the survival of humanity.
In addition to Tom Cruise, "Oblivion" also stars Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo, and Zoë Bell.
Should you stream 'Oblivion' on Prime Video?
Critically, "Oblivion" didn't perform amazingly well. It's "Rotten" on review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes, with a 53% critics rating and a consensus that reads: "visually striking but thinly scripted, "Oblivion" benefits from its strong production values and an excellent performance from Tom Cruise."
Reviewing for Variety, Justin Chang called "Oblivion" a "striking, visually resplendent adventure" and a "moderately clever dystopian mindbender"... even if he found fault with the narrative as it plays out.
Empire's Olly Richards similarly offered a 3/5 star review, writing, "Kosinski has again built a fantasy world that feels real to its core, but once more put most effort into the scenery and too little into the people."
At Rolling Stone, however, critic Peter Travers offered a 2-star rating. Even though he highlights the score, the visuals and Cruise, Travers called the movie "a fantasy without an original thought in its sleek, empty head", concluding that "Oblivion" feels arid and antiseptic, untouched by human hands."
In my eyes, though? "Oblivion" is an underrated Tom Cruise sci-fi watch.
I wouldn't rank it as highly as I do Cruise's other sci-fi movie of the era, "Edge of Tomorrow," but I would nevertheless recommend giving "Oblivion" a chance.
Critics are right to point out that its biggest wins are those high production values. The world of "Oblivion" is an impressively realized one that still holds up; the immersive soundtrack is worth celebrating, too.
Cruise is on fine form in the action scenes when they come, and, even though the trailer famously makes the mistake of showing a little too much of the story, I think the intrigue and big storybeats that remain make "Oblivion" a compelling (if derivative) enough watch. In other words? Don't be put off by the mixed reception.
Not sold on "Oblivion," or already seen it? We can still help you find your next watch. Check out our guide to the best movies on Prime Video for tons more streaming recommendations perfect for your next movie night.
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