Is it too early to declare a “movie of the summer?” Yes, of course it is you silly goose. It’s not even June yet but that shouldn’t keep you from placing Edge of Tomorrow at the top of the list (for now). That may sound like a bold and brash statement to make considering the fact that X-Men: Days of Future Past just came out last weekend and we still have the entire blockbuster season ahead of us but “bold and brash” is my middle name! Actually, it’s Daniel. I got carried away.

Edge of Tomorrow is based on the atrociously titled Japanese young adult novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. It tells the story of an alien race that invades Earth via meteor crash and the war that ensues. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is put on the front line and before he is inevitably killed, he manages to take the life of one of the alien creatures, referred to as Mimics, spilling its blood on himself and setting the stage for Cage to wake up on the morning of the day he died again and again. Groundhog Day meets Saving Private Ryan, if you will.

As Major Cage, Tom Cruise delivers a fantastic performance that is long overdue for anyone who is a fan of his work. Put simply: this is Tom Cruise at his absolute finest. He’s able to make the leap from cowardly war correspondent to humanity’s last beacon of hope in under two hours without batting an eye or having the audience doubt the authenticity of his character. If Cruise set out to prove his status as the leading action star, Edge of Tomorrow is an absolute victory for the man that most people know today as the face of Scientology and dirtying Oprah’s couch cushions.

Much like Cruise, everyone else involved with this movie is swinging for the fence. Even though some performances fail to impress, it’s still fun to see a cast this excited and eager to be making a movie come to life. The generally bland Emily Blunt is well-cast as Special Forces Agent Rita Vrataski, a role that requires her to be stone faced and, well, bland. Bill Paxton is also on board as General Farrell Bartolome, having more fun than I’ve seen him have since James Cameron’s Aliens! Seriously, if you don’t see this movie for Cruise, Bill Paxton’s time on screen is worth the price of admission alone.

All praise to Tom Cruise and company aside, the true stars of Edge of Tomorrow are its alien race of Mimics. These creatures look and feel like an actual threat to mankind without being enormous, building-sized robots or monsters. They are absolutely horrifying and one of the most truly alien looking villains I’ve ever seen on screen. I’d be surprised if we don’t see this film pick up any FX awards come Oscar season. From their first appearance on the beaches of France to the riveting grand finale, these creatures will have you clawing your arm rests and would make the late HR Geiger proud. In addition, the film is beautifully shot and the book-ending set pieces are visually stunning. Director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) allows his camera to pull back and let the action unfold before your eyes rather than make the camera participate. It’s so expertly shot that it almost makes you forgive him for Jumper. Almost.

While it may be too early to crown Edge of Tomorrow this summer’s champion, it’s certainly the number one contender as of this review. Although it suffers from a handful of average performances from the appropriately dubbed “J Squad,” Cruise’s wit and believability as a hero combined with a formidable foe in the Mimics make for an absolutely thrilling summer blockbuster. If you were on the fence about seeing this movie, I urge you to let Edge of Tomorrow take you along for a ride you’ll not likely forget. This is everything that a fun summer movie is supposed to be.

8/10

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