# "Edge of Tomorrow" was so freaking good! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 5, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034 "2015-01-05T14:14:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/21 "2015-01-05T17:40:07Z")
Oh, yeah, the last five seconds or so was pretty dumb. But generally speaking it held up to the end. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/22 "2015-01-05T17:42:31Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > And that’s actually another poor marketing choice - what better way to **market to a slew of Cruise haters than a montage of him dying over and over and over and over in horrid ways?** It’s perfect. Which is also the problem. He wouldn’t _stay_ dead. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/23 "2015-01-05T18:30:53Z")
In the original thread we had here when the movie came out, the reviews were generally surprised approvals. I liked it a lot, except for (as others have said) the last five minutes. And I’m not a Cruise fan at all. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/24 "2015-01-05T18:31:17Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I have not watched the movie for one reason only: Tom Cruise. Not just because Tom Cruise is in it, but because the studio fucked up the story in order to have Tom Cruise in it. The protagonist needed to be someone young enough to pass as a recruit, not a fifty year old has-been. My girlfriend will not watch any Tom Cruise movies. I am general apprehensive about them. But over the weekend I watched **Edge of Tomorrow** and **Jack Reacher**. I loved them. Especially Jack Reacher. Even knowing that Cruise was too tiny to play the part. It was great fun. You are right about the plot point. I kept thinking ‘there’s no way the General would order a PR guy into combat with no combat training, even if he wanted to punish him’. It entertaining enough for me to forget about it. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/25 "2015-01-05T18:53:50Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > You are right about the plot point. I kept thinking ‘there’s no way the General would order a PR guy into combat with no combat training, even if he wanted to punish him’. It entertaining enough for me to forget about it. That was my nit with the movie, too. The commanders wouldn’t want this unproven newbie in battle. He can’t operate the mechanical suit. He’s more likely to shoot the other soldiers than the bugs. In addition, it’s highly likely that he would be recognized since he was on TV. It was unbelievable that no one in the unit recognized him. They should have had him doing something other than PR since it didn’t seem to matter to the plot. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/26 "2015-01-05T19:04:25Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > In addition, it’s highly likely that he would be recognized since he was on TV. It was unbelievable that no one in the unit recognized him. They should have had him doing something other than PR since it didn’t seem to matter to the plot. This didn’t strike me odd. I presumed he was doing the spokesman thing on the “heavier” Sunday morning politics-and-major-events shows, the kind sponsored by non-consumer companies like ADM and Boeing (in contrast to the lighter talk shows focusing on entertainment and lifestyle issues) and lots of people don’t watch those. The unit he was assigned to seemed to consist of people who stereotypically would **not** be watching the Sunday wonk-fests. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/27 "2015-01-05T19:22:26Z")
I really liked it too. I didn’t know what to expect, and I definitely didn’t expect to LOL. At this point, if it’s sci fi and Tom Cruise is in it, I’ll watch it. I liked Oblivion too. His movies need catchier names. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/28 "2015-01-05T19:56:59Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > That was my nit with the movie, too. The commanders wouldn’t want this unproven newbie in battle. He can’t operate the mechanical suit. **He’s more likely to shoot the other soldiers than the bugs.** Which is why they didn’t show him how to take off the safety. The guy who was helping him into the suit even said it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/29 "2015-01-05T21:04:10Z")
How would you compare it to _Source Code_. I was pleasantly surprised by that one, even though it was easy to figure out the real reason he was the subject and the ending was somewhat silly. Still, the action was good, the plot was entertaining, and the acting was also good. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/30 "2015-01-06T02:28:41Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > That was my nit with the movie, too. The commanders wouldn’t want this unproven newbie in battle. He can’t operate the mechanical suit. He’s more likely to shoot the other soldiers than the bugs. > > In addition, it’s highly likely that he would be recognized since he was on TV. It was unbelievable that no one in the unit recognized him. They should have had him doing something other than PR since it didn’t seem to matter to the plot. He wasn’t supposed to be in “battle”. His original mission was basically to be an embedded reporter following the troops into what was supposed to be a relative cakewalk. The only reason he found himself as a “new recruit” in an infantry unit was because he bitched out and tried to blackmail the supreme general of Earth army. But you’re right that it was kind of unbelievable that the Fox News PR face of the army and the “Angel of Verdun” plastered on every bus and billboard would be able to sneak in anywhere. But otherwise it was a fun movie. Particularly where he kept getting killed over and over again (sometimes in idiotic ways). I did like that it wasn’t as bleak as Oblivion (which I also enjoyed a lot). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/31 "2015-01-06T03:03:19Z")
I think Tom Cruise is an unfortunate cult dupe, but I do like him as an actor, and I liked Oblivion, Jack Reacher and Edge of Tomorrow. Especially Edge. I wanted to see it anyway because I like the director Doug Limon (Go) and Emily Blunt. It was pretty low priority though, until I kept hearing not only how good it was, but how funny it was. They were right, it was good, and it was funny. It’s not a comedy but I had so many laugh out loud moments. I saw it alone first, then I took my husband. It absolutely held up the 2nd time and I noticed more details. I’d definitely see it again. Yeah, even though he was a scared-ass little bitch, he wasn’t supposed to have to fight. The battle was supposed to be done and mopped up quickly, and then he could do his From The Battlefield propaganda report. Things didn’t work out as planned. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/32 "2015-01-06T03:32:10Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > He wasn’t supposed to be in “battle”. His original mission was basically to be an embedded reporter following the troops into what was supposed to be a relative cakewalk. The only reason he found himself as a “new recruit” in an infantry unit was because he bitched out and tried to blackmail the supreme general of Earth army. Right. He’d have gone in surrounded by a film crew in a relatively safe section of the “front.” Instead, he got himself branded a traitor and sent to the front with no training, essentially to be killed. > [@](#): > > But you’re right that it was kind of unbelievable that the Fox News PR face of the army and the “Angel of Verdun” plastered on every bus and billboard would be able to sneak in anywhere. The “Angel of Verdun” was recognized and he had to account for that in subsequent resets. His squad didn’t recognize him but they didn’t seem like the types to watch news much. It’s plausible being an American PR guy, the average European soldier might not recognize him. He was responsible for selling the war and convincing “a million people to join the military” but he could have done that by plastering the Angel of Verdun’s picture all over the place. His face might not have been as well-known. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/33 "2015-01-06T14:12:48Z")
It must be weird for the Angel of Verdun at the end of the film to find out that she helped win the war by doing things that she’ll never actually do. She’ll believe the Major because she went through it at Verdun. but at the same time it must feel like there was an awesome party and she missed it. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/34 "2015-01-06T14:36:38Z")
The movie WAS pretty good. Its main misfortune was to have a star that younger audiences no longer find all that exciting. Tom Cruise was fine, but very few people go to see a movie any more just because he’s in it. His biggest fans are now at the “let’s wait til it’s on Netflix” age. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/35 "2015-01-06T15:08:29Z")
Like many others, I was pleasantly surprised by _Evil Nazi Groundhog Day_. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/36 "2015-01-06T16:47:12Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > It must be weird for the Angel of Verdun at the end of the film to find out that she helped win the war by doing things that she’ll never actually do. She’ll believe the Major because she went through it at Verdun. but at the same time it must feel like there was an awesome party and she missed it. Kind of short-sighted on the Major’s part. I might have spent a few more resets figuring out how to get in her (power armored) pants before ending the war and losing those powers for good. I read somewhere that reviewer described Edge of Tomorrow as having almost like a “video game” format. You know, where you spawn in over and over again trying to get past that difficult level. In many ways, that actually made it a lot better than pretty much every other movie based off of an actual video game. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/37 "2015-01-06T17:03:12Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I think Tom Cruise is an unfortunate cult dupe, but I do like him as an actor, and I liked Oblivion, Jack Reacher and Edge of Tomorrow. Especially Edge. I’ve really come around on Tom Cruise, and in particular Tom Cruise + sci-fi. Oddly enough, Tropic Thunder was the start of my coming around…his willingness to do that Les Grossman bit, and to pull it off with 100% success, really surprised me. > [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > I loved them. Especially Jack Reacher. Even knowing that Cruise was too tiny to play the part. It was great fun. As a Reacher fan there was no way I was going to watch this, but we were desperate for an action flic some weekend or another and we rented it…and liked it! One thing it suggested to me that as physically big as Jack Reacher is, it’s his attitude that’s entertaining. Cruise did well with that. > [@astorian](#): > > The movie WAS pretty good. > > Its main misfortune was to have a star that younger audiences no longer find all that exciting. Tom Cruise was fine, but very few people go to see a movie any more just because he’s in it. His biggest fans are now at the “let’s wait til it’s on Netflix” age. Are there many actors that are movie draws, vs the movie itself? I ask because you probably can’t find an actor who’s been successful across a higher percentage of films over the last 10-15 years than Tom Cruise (there’s a thread somewhere here on the topic). So if he’s not drawing people it means he’s good at film selection, which is fine…but my guess is that some people like me will now go check out any action film with him. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/38 "2015-01-06T19:44:46Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Seriously, if I showed you the DVD case and asked you to find the actual title on it in ten seconds or less you’d fail! It’s hidden way down at the bottom. WTF? Zoinks! It’s even worse than you describe it: Inspired by this Thread, I decided to check out this movie. I went to the RedBox movie rental kiosk to rent the Blu-ray. I did not immediately see it with the list of new releases, so I chose the Alphabetical listing and went to “E”. The movie was not listed. I was going to give up assuming they didn’t have it (movies aren’t always immediately offered by RedBox right when they’re released on DVD). I paused a moment and went back to the new releases and scrolled through the list a bit. There it was! Listed under the title: _Live, Die, Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow_ That’s the official title listing! I went back to the Alphabetical listing and checked under “L” and there it was! They almost missed out on a rental because they changed the title of the damned movie! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/39 "2015-01-06T20:18:19Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Kind of short-sighted on the Major’s part. I might have spent a few more resets figuring out how to get in her (power armored) pants before ending the war and losing those powers for good. > > I read somewhere that reviewer described Edge of Tomorrow as having almost like a “video game” format. You know, where you spawn in over and over again trying to get past that difficult level. In many ways, that actually made it a lot better than pretty much every other movie based off of an actual video game. Perhaps you read it on [Grantland](http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/blockbuster-talk-tom-cruise-edge-of-tomorrow/)? > [@](#): > > But Edge also closes an archetypally Cruisean circle that goes back, god, almost 30 years. I mean, Top Gun won the Cold War by making combat feel like a video game — a video game that admittedly included a weird amount of impromptu bar karaoke and some homoerotic volleyball cut scenes, but hey, it was 1986; the industry was still searching for its feet. In Edge, war is a video game, not just in terms of visceral excitement and the prominence of targeting reticules, but in the actual structure of the experience. You start from a checkpoint. You have infinite lives. You memorize level layouts. You make it a little farther each time through. You have an NPC companion who is, with much respect to Blunt’s steely portrayal of a human violence-dervish, sexually not unintriguing. You have a random power involving time. You have a plot that makes no f\*\*\*ing sense. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034/40 "2015-01-06T20:30:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > How would you compare it to _Source Code_. I was pleasantly surprised by that one, even though it was easy to figure out the real reason he was the subject and the ending was somewhat silly. Still, the action was good, the plot was entertaining, and the acting was also good. Haven’t seen it, but I’ll add it to my list. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edge-of-tomorrow-was-so-freaking-good/709034.md?page=3)