“Edge of Tomorrow” is well written, visually interesting and much funnier than I expected. The film is a sci-fi version of Groundhog Day that is executed perfectly.

In “Edge of Tomorrow,” humanity has been at war with an alien species known as Mimics for five years. After being thrown into battle untrained and unprepared, Cage (Tom Cruise) is killed then instantly transported back in time to the day before the battle. Soon he finds another soldier, Rita (Emily Blunt), who is also experiencing the time loop and a plan is hatched to stop the alien menace for good and save humanity.

This film could have easily been just another alien invasion movie, but the time travel mechanic employed in “Edge of Tomorrow” really causes it to rise above the tired cliches in the genre. Some of the funniest moments come from Cruise becoming so casual with dying that he treats it more like a bothersome mosquito rather than the end of life. It was almost like watching a live action video game, and unlike “Doom,” that’s a good thing.

Much of the film takes place in battle, and director Doug Liman did an excellent job keeping the action cohesive yet chaotic. There is a lot going on in the film’s more explosive sequences, but the camera work keeps everything focused without losing anything in a flurry of smoke and metal — I’m looking at you “Transformers.”

I also appreciated how the movie handled how the future looked. Despite a few justifiable advancements in war technology, the world looked pretty much how it does now. The set design really added to the atmosphere of the film without going over the top and it worked well.

On the side of acting, both Cruise and Blunt are great in the film. Cruise proves that even in his 50s, he still has the ability to impress in a huge film like “Edge of Tomorrow.” He was good in 2013’s “Oblivion,” but I think he’s much better in this. Blunt was also impressive as Rita, and I was glad to see she can excel just as well in the action genre as she does in drama.

“Edge of Tomorrow” is fantastic and is a great film for fans of science fiction and drama alike.

5 out of 5 Stars