Introduction

Science fiction has always been a fertile ground for exploring complex ideas about humanity’s future, technological advancement, and existential dilemmas. By mid-2010s, science fiction action cinema had already evolved into a sophisticated genre that blended high-concept storytelling with visually stunning, technically advanced cinematography, often anchored by powerful performances from leading actors. This era witnessed the release of movies which not only entertained but also engaged audiences with deeper philosophical and existential questions, particularly regarding the future of humanity in the face of rapidly advancing technology. One of the key movies which epitomized this evolution is Oblivion (2013), directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Tom Cruise in the lead-role. Oblivion is a movie which, on the surface, appears to be a standard science fiction action movie, adhering to its overwhelming conventions, but beneath its sleek exterior lies a rich conglomerate of themes, character development, and genre-defining elements, revealed within its cinematic exploration of complex themes such as identity, memory, and human resilience. In this essay, I explore the ways in which Oblivion represents a pivotal moment in science fiction action cinema, examining its plot, character dynamics, visual and auditory design, thematic depth, and its place within the broader context of the genre and mass media.

Plot Overview

Oblivion is set in a dystopian future in which Earth has been devastated by an alien invasion, leaving the planet nearly uninhabitable. The movie follows Jack Harper (Tom Cruise), a technician stationed on Earth, tasked with maintaining drones that protect the planet’s remaining resources, who, along with his communications officer and partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough), lives in a high-tech tower above the clouds, isolated from the remnants of humanity who are supposedly en route to a colony on Titan, before they both join the rest of humanity. Jack’s seemingly routine existence is disrupted by vivid dreams of a past life he cannot remember and the appearance of a mysterious woman, Julia (Olga Kurylenko), who crashes on Earth, leading him to question the nature of his mission and his own identity. As the story unfolds, Jack uncovers the truth about his existence, the reality of the alien threat, and the fate of humanity – and he faces a crisis that forces him to question everything he knows about himself and the world. The movie’s narrative weaves together elements of mystery, action, and philosophical inquiry, embedded with classical science fiction themes – identity, memory, and the struggle for freedom –, culminating in a story that is as thought-provoking as it is visually captivating, keeping the audiences engaged with its twists and revelations.

Character Analysis

At the heart of Oblivion is Jack Harper, portrayed by Tom Cruise with a blend of stoicism, vulnerability and restrained intensity, capturing the character’s internal conflict and gradual awakening to the truth. The quintessential archetype of the reluctant hero – a man who starts as a cog in a vast machine but gradually awakens to his own agency and individuality –, Jack is a man caught between duty and doubt, a soldier who begins to question the very foundation of his reality: throughout the movie, Jack’s journey is marked by his growing realization that his memories, which he once thought defined him, are fabrications imposed by an external power. This internal struggle drives the movie’s exploration of identity and self-determination, themes central to the science fiction genre, pushing the plot forward as Jack unravels the mystery of his existence.

Victoria, played by Andrea Riseborough, serves as both Jack’s partner and a foil to his growing doubts, to which her loyalty to the mission sharply contrasts. She represents the comfort of conformity and the dangers of blind obedience, preferring the assurances provided by their superiors rather than the confrontation with the reality gradually revealed by her trusted partner. Her relationship with Jack is complex, blending professional partnership with romantic undertones, but it is ultimately defined by her adherence to the status quo. Victoria’s unwavering commitment to their assigned roles creates tension between her and Jack, emphasizing the movie’s theme of resistance versus compliance. This dynamic illustrates, eventually, the seductive nature of security and the fear of the unknown, despite clear evidence backed by real-life experiences.

Julia, portrayed by Olga Kurylenko, is the key to unlocking Jack’s true identity and the catalyst to his transformation. As a mysterious woman from Jack’s past, her character is imbued with a sense of mystery and emotional depth, as she represents both Jack’s past and his potential future, his lost memories which keep on haunting and the key to unlocking the truth about his true self. Julia’s arrival challenges the stability of Jack’s world, prompting him to confront the lies he has been living. Julia’s character is integral to the plot, serving as both a symbol of Jack’s past life and the embodiment of his future choices. Her presence challenges Jack to confront the reality of his existence and ultimately leads him to take a stand against the forces controlling his life: through Julia, the movie explores the power of memory and the importance of human connection in defining who we – truly – are.

The Major Challenge: Gender Roles and Their Representation

Oblivion presents a complex picture of gender roles, particularly within the context of a genre often dominated by male-centric narratives. Butler’s (1990) theories on gender performativity might offer carefully crafted insights into the gender dynamics in Oblivion, with the roles of Victoria and Julia being analyzed through Butler’s lens, specifically in the ways in which their identities and actions are shaped by societal expectations and their relationships with the male protagonist: the movie’s both female characters occupy distinct yet complementary roles in relation to Jack. Victoria embodies the archetype of the dutiful, strong, competent and disciplined partner, whose identity is closely tied to her role within the mission and her relationship with Jack and a character whose strength lies in her adherence to the rules imposed by external authorities. Her role, however, is ultimately constrained by her loyalty to the system and her inability to question that very system, reflecting a traditional portrayal of female characters as supportive but secondary to the male protagonist’s journey. Victoria’s adherence to the rules and her fear of stepping outside the boundaries set by their superiors highlights the tension between security and freedom, a theme that resonates throughout the movie.

Julia, on the other hand, is depicted as a figure of mysterious resonance and emotional depth, whose influence is crucial in Jack’s evolution, bringing forth the classical trope of the muse or the woman who inspires the male hero to transcend his limitations and to discover his true self. While this characterization may seem reductive, Julia’s role is pivotal in the narrative progression, and her strength lies in her emotional resilience and connection to Jack’s past. She represents the human connection that Jack has lost and the memories that define his true identity: through Julia, the movie touches on themes of love, memory, and the enduring power of human relationships, even in the face of overwhelming technological control.

While Oblivion makes strides in giving its female characters agency and importance, it still falls into some of the traditional patterns of gender representation in action cinema. On the one hand, Victoria and Julia are strong, capable characters who play essential roles in the story. On the other hand, their narratives are primarily and largely defined by their relationships to Jack, the male protagonist, being intertwined with his development rather than existing independently, reflecting a common trope in action cinema where female characters are often positioned in relation to the male hero’s journey. Nonetheless, both characters are integral to the narrative, and their interactions with Jack help to drive the movie’s exploration of memory, identity and self-discovery and human experience, adding layers of complexity to the overall story.

Visuals and Musical Score

Visually, Oblivion is a masterpiece of modern science fiction cinema, which makes use of established science fiction aesthetics to reinforce its themes and the corresponding mood: the movie’s aesthetic is characterized by stark, minimalist design, which juxtaposes the high-tech environment of Jack and Victoria’s living quarters with the desolate, post-apocalyptic landscapes of Earth (see Hayward 2012). The desolate beauty of the ruined Earth itself, captured through sweeping landscapes and meticulous production design, creates a haunting backdrop for the story. The visual design reflects the movie’s themes of isolation and the remnants of a lost world, with the stark visual contrast between the high-tech facilities where Jack and Victoria live and the barren wastelands of Earth emphasizing the disconnect between the characters’ perceived reality and the truth: thus, this visual contrast serves to reinforce the film’s themes of isolation and the artificiality of the world in which Jack and Victoria live. The design of the drones, the Tet (the space station overseeing the mission), and the technology used by the characters all contribute to the movie’s futuristic yet sterile atmosphere, emphasizing the control and surveillance that dominate this dystopian world.

The movie’s employment of color is particularly noteworthy, with the sterile whites and grays of the technology juxtaposed against the earthy tones of the natural world, effectively conveying the movie’s mood and themes. The cold, sterile whites and grays of the technology contrast with the warmer, more natural tones of the Earth’s surface, symbolizing the tension between the artificial and the organic, the controlled and the free – even more compellingly complemented by the movie’s cinematography, which captures the vastness of the desolate Earth and the loneliness of Jack’s existence. This visual dichotomy mirrors Jack’s internal conflict between his programmed duty and his emerging sense of humanity, with the sleek, minimalist design of the drones and other technology additionally reinforcing the movie’s exploration of control and surveillance, themes which are central to the narrative.

The musical score, composed by M83 in collaboration with Joseph Trapanese, plays a crucial role in enhancing the movie’s atmosphere, its emotional depth and narrative structure. The score blends electronic and orchestral elements, creating a soundscape which is both futuristic and profoundly human. The music complements the visual design, with the soaring melodies and pulsing rhythms underscoring the movie’s key moments, its tension and emotional beats, from the sweeping shots of Earth’s ruined landscapes to the intimate, emotionally charged exchanges between characters. The score’s use of recurring motifs reflects the film’s themes of memory and identity, with certain musical cues associated with Jack’s flashbacks and personal revelations. Overall, the interplay between visuals and music in Oblivion creates an immersive experience which draws the audience into the movie’s world and reinforces its thematic concerns.

Major Themes and Their Relevance

Oblivion addresses several major themes that resonate with contemporary audiences, making it a movie simultaneously both entertaining and thought-provoking. At its core, Oblivion is a movie about memory, identity, and the search for meaning in a world that has lost its way, explored through the lens of science fiction and its futuristic setting: questions about the nature of reality and the role of technology in shaping our lives bring eventually the theme of memory into the central spotlight, as Jack’s journey is one of rediscovering his past and reclaiming his identity from the forces that seek to control him. Haraway’s (1991) essay is helpful in understanding the human-machine hybrids present in Oblivion, particularly in the context of Jack Harper as a clone and his relationship with the technological systems that govern his world. The cyborg metaphor is a useful tool for analyzing the movie’s exploration of posthuman identity, located within the architecture of the movie’s depiction of control and resistance, with the Tet serving as a metonymic presence for oppressive systems that seek to subjugate and dehumanize. Jack’s rebellion against the Tet represents a broader struggle for autonomy and self-determination, a theme that resonates with contemporary concerns about surveillance, corporate power, and the erosion of individual freedoms: Jack’s journey is driven by his quest to uncover the truth about himself and his past, underscored by the suggestion that our memories are integral to our sense of self, and that the loss or manipulation of memory can have – does have – profound implications for our identity. The theme is particularly relevant in an age where technology increasingly influences how we remember and interpret our experiences.

In this train of thoughts, the tension between freedom and control is another fundamental theme, appearing as a continuation of Wood’s (2003) critique of Hollywood cinema’s ideological underpinnings, thus leading to Oblivion’s contextualization within the broader landscape of American action cinema. The book’s analysis of post-Vietnam Hollywood provides a framework for understanding the movie’s themes of disillusionment, trauma, and the questioning of authority: Oblivion displays a world where advanced technology is used to subjugate and dehumanize, with Jack’s rebellion against the Tet representing a broader struggle for autonomy and self-determination. This theme resonates with contemporary concerns about surveillance, corporate power, and the erosion of individual freedoms in the face of technological advancements. Supported by Žižek’s (2012) examination of ideology in popular culture, Oblivion’s cinematic description of control, resistance, and the construction of reality corresponds to the critically essential ways in which movies propagate or challenge dominant ideologies, thus highlighting the importance of Oblivion’s critique of surveillance and authoritarianism – despite the science fiction setting.

Environmental degradation is another key theme in Oblivion, with the moive’s illustration of a ruined Earth serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of humanity’s exploitation of the planet. The barren, lifeless world reflects anxieties about climate change and environmental destruction, making it a relevant and timely commentary on the state of the world and the importance of sustainable practices. Finally, Oblivion explores the theme of love and connection, with Jack’s relationship with Julia serving as a reminder of the power of human bonds in the face of adversity. The movie suggests that love and memory are intertwined, with our relationships forming the foundation of our identities: this theme adds an emotional depth to the movie, grounding its speculative elements in a relatable human experience.

The Science Fiction Genre

Oblivion is firmly rooted in the science fiction genre, drawing on a rich tradition of speculative storytelling which explores the possibilities of future technology and its impact on humanity. The movie’s narrative is built around classic science fiction themes, such as the nature of identity and reality, the consequences of advanced technology, and the question of what it means to be human as well as the struggle for freedom in a controlled society. These themes are explored through a plot that combines elements of dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic storytelling, and existential drama.

One of the movie’s most significant contributions to the genre is its exploration of memory and identity. Bukatman (1993) discusses identity and technology in science fiction, aligning with Jack’s journey in Oblivion, thus providing a theoretical framework for understanding how identity and technology intersect in science fiction. Bukatman’s analysis of the “virtual subject” aligns with Jack Harper’s character arc as he navigates a constructed identity within a technologically mediated environment: Oblivion presents a world in which technology has the power to manipulate and erase memories, raising disturbing questions about the nature of self and the extent to which our identities are shaped by our past experiences. Furthermore, one might incur Baudrillard’s (1994) work and its relevance to Oblivion’s exploration of identity, reality, and the manipulation of memory through or as simulation. The movie can be seen as a distant reinforcement of Baudrillard’s concept of simulacra, where the boundaries between reality and simulation blur, particularly in how Jack Harper’s reality is shaped by the fabricated memories imposed upon him by the Tet. This theme is central to the movie’s narrative, as Jack’s journey is ultimately one of self-discovery and the reclamation of his true identity. Moreover, the movie’s exploration of these themes aligns with the science fiction genre’s tradition of using speculative scenarios to probe the human condition.

In addition, the movie engages with the genre’s tradition of questioning the role of technology in society as well as the relationship between humanity and technology. Csicsery-Ronay (2008) investigation provides a comprehensive analysis of the science fiction genre, identifying key aesthetic and thematic elements that are prevalent in works like Oblivion and addressed in discussions on the “future shock” and “novum” aspects of science fiction is particularly applicable to the movie’s portrayal of a dystopian future and its technological innovations. The drones and other advanced technologies in Oblivion are depicted as both tools of control and symbols of a lost civilization. The movie explores the idea that technology, while capable of great feats, can also be a means of oppression and dehumanization: this theme is reflected in the depiction of the Tet, the artificial intelligence which oversees the operation on Earth and which represents the dangers of placing too much power in the hands of technology. The movie’s critique of technological control and its impact on human freedom is a common thread in science fiction, echoing concerns about the increasing role of technology in our lives.

Conclusion: Cinema and the Power of Mass Media

Oblivion was released at a time when science fiction action cinema was experiencing a resurgence while undergoing a significant transformation, driven by advancements in visual effects technology and a growing appetite for high-concept storytelling. The movie’s success can be attributed in part to its ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist of the early 2010s, a period marked by increasing concerns about technology, environmental degradation, and the future of humanity. Sobchack’s (1997) analysis of the evolution of science fiction cinema provides a historical context for understanding Oblivion. Her discussion on the role of special effects, the depiction of dystopian futures, and the philosophical questions posed by the genre offers a foundation for exploring how Oblivion fits into the broader trajectory of science fiction film. At the same time, as revealed in Truffaut’s book (1984), a compilation of interviews between François Truffaut and Alfred Hitchcock which provides insights into the craft of suspense and visual storytelling and evident in Oblivion’s narrative structure and direction, the influence of Hitchcockian suspense can be felt in the movie’s pacing and its gradual revelation of the central mystery, adding to its overall impact. Noteworthy, the movie’s marketing campaign played a crucial role in its success, leveraging Tom Cruise’s star power and the movie’s stunning visuals to attract a broad audience, with the promotional materials emphasizing its epic scope and high production values and therefore positioning it as a must-see event in the landscape of blockbuster cinema. This marketing strategy reflects the power of mass media in shaping audience expectations and driving the success of major cinema releases, as the use of trailers, posters, and other promotional content creates a sense of anticipation and excitement, highlighting the movie’s visual and thematic strengths.

Moreover, Oblivion fits within the continuing trend in science fiction cinema towards blending action-oriented storytelling with deeper philosophical and existential themes, a trend which can be observed in other movies from the same period, such as Inception (2010) and Interstellar (2014), which similarly combine thrilling action sequences with complex narratives, challenging the audiences to think critically about the implications of the stories, the nature of reality and the human experience. Oblivion’s success in this context demonstrates the power of mainstream cinema to engage with sophisticated ideas about the human condition while still appealing to a wide audience. Oblivion is a movie which exemplifies the evolution of science fiction action cinema by the mid-2010s, combining high-concept storytelling with stunning visuals and a powerful performance from Tom Cruise. The movie’s exploration of themes such as memory, identity, control, and environmental degradation places it firmly within the science fiction tradition, while its use of action and spectacle ensures its appeal to a broad audience. Oblivion is a testament to the power of science fiction to engage with complex ideas while providing thrilling entertainment, making it a significant entry in the genre’s canon. The movie’s relevance extends beyond its narrative, reflecting broader cultural concerns about technology, the environment, and the future of humanity, turning it into a media realease which continues to resonate with global audiences today.

References

Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation. University of Michigan Press, 1994.

Bukatman, Scott. Terminal Identity: The Virtual Subject in Postmodern Science Fiction. Duke University Press, 1993.

Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge, 1990.

Csicsery-Ronay, Istvan. The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction. Wesleyan University Press, 2008.

Haraway, Donna. A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century. University of Minnesota Press, 1991.

Hayward, Susan. Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. Routledge, 2012.

Sobchack, Vivian. Screening Space: The American Science Fiction Film. Rutgers University Press, 1997.

Truffaut, François. Hitchcock/Truffaut. Simon and Schuster, 1984.

Wood, Robin. Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan… and Beyond. Columbia University Press, 2003.

Žižek, Slavoj. The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology. Verso Books, 2012