The Film
On paper, Edge of Tomorrow must have sounded like a no-brainer. For starters, you've got Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt battling an alien invasion in a big budget, effects-laden blockbuster. Sounds great, right? Add to that the fact that it's directed by Doug Liman, the man who gave us Swingers, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and the superior first film in the Jason Bourne saga, The Bourne Identity, and it's a small wonder this wasn't the box office sensation of the summer. Far from it.
Although the film did well enough overseas, Edge of Tomorrow was largely considered a flop here at home and that unfortunately became the lead story on this one. Don't let that deter you though and don't believe everything you read. I'm here to tell you that Edge of Tomorrow is absolutely worth your time. In fact it's a film so nice they named it twice. With no small amount of irony, this underrated gem has been given a second chance at life on home video with a brand new title. Say hello to Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow.
The film is loosely based on a novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka entitled All You Need is Kill - arguably a better title than both Edge of Tomorrow and Live Die Repeat, and certainly better than the combination of the two. In the film, Tom Cruise stars as Major William Cage, a military public relations weasel charged with selling the alien war and giving it the proper spin - a task Cage is perfectly comfortable doing from a distance. When a high-ranking general (Brendan Gleeson) orders Cage to embed himself with the first wave of an upcoming assault, Cage's insubordination lands him a demotion and his very own pair of armored boots on the ground. And now he won't be filming the battle; he'll be fighting on its front lines.
Still on the fence? Don't just take my word for it. Read Editor Chris Boylan's theatrical review - but be warned: he goes into a lot more detail than I did.
The Picture
Although most new releases on Blu-ray tend to look pretty great these days, Edge of Tomorrow looks better than most. Put simply, this is a gorgeous high definition transfer. Although the film will never be described as bursting with color, everything about this bleak, not-too-distant-future world looks gritty, authentic, and lived-in, not to mention incredibly detailed. Whether it's the beads of sweat on Emily Blunt's lovely face or the dents, dings, and scratches visible on the armored super suits, there is an incredible amount of fine picture detail on display. Shadow delineation and black levels are also excellent, particularly in the evening assault sequence during the film's final act. Blu-ray video doesn't get much better than this.
The Sound
As stunning as Edge of Tomorrow looks on Blu-ray, the film's soundtrack is every bit its equal. With crushing bass, rock solid dialogue, and aggressive yet nuanced surround activity, this is a sensational 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. In fact, the only real disappointment here is the lack of a Dolby Atmos option. As they did with Gravity and Godzilla, Warner Bros. has unfortunately decided to forego a Dolby Atmos option for Edge of Tomorrow. While it's easy to argue to that many consumers don't yet have Dolby Atmos-compatible gear at home, the hardware is already here and more is on its way. And as we all know, hardware is only as good as the software you feed it. Here's hoping the studios begin to embrace Dolby Atmos and give it a chance to thrive at home. After all, one can only watch Transformers: Age of Extinction so many times.
The Extras
Unlike the aforementioned Transformers sequel, Edge of Tomorrow is a film I was eager to spend more time with and go behind the scenes after the end credits rolled. Although there isn't a ton of bonus content on disc, what's here is actually pretty good. Extras consist of a handful of HD featurettes, led by "On the Edge with Doug Liman" which is a lengthy and engaging piece covering various aspects of production.
Final Thoughts
Doug Liman's Edge of Tommorrow may not have set the box office ablaze, and it may be flying under a new, long-winded moniker on home video, but don't let those things stop you from giving this entertaining sci-fi actioner a spin. And home theater fans should take notice: although a Dolby Atmos track would have been welcome, this is absolutely a demo-worthy disc for Blu-ray picture and sound. Highly recommended.
Product Details
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