It’s easy in this day and age of massive comic book franchises and world ending catastrophes, sometimes, all a good summer blockbuster needs is a decent concept, some fun characters and great action. Luckily for us, Edge of Tomorrow has all that and more in spades.

Edge of Tomorrow focuses on Major William Cage (Tom Cruise). Cage is, at best, the most smarmy PR person you’d ever meet.  Serving as the PR head for the UDF - United Defense Forces - his job has been to promote and otherwise push the war effort as a talking head on all of the cable news networks. The world has been embroiled in a war with an alien species, called the Mimics, for the past five years.  Cage has done his job well, but when he decides that he doesn’t want to cover “Operation: Downfall”, a major final offensive from the front line, he gains the ire of UDF Commander General Brigham, is stripped of his title, and made a grunt soldier, just in time for this war’s version of Normandy.

Understandably - things don’t go well. Cage is stronger with his mouth than with his braun, and he dies almost immediately on the battlefield. But in an interesting twist - each time he dies, he returns back to the beginning, able to re-live the battle, advancing further and further on each try. In short, his life has become a level in a video game.

Cage quickly finds himself aligned with the face of the battleground, an extremely adept solider with secrets of her own, Rita Vrataski, the “Angel of Verdun” (or “Full Metal Bitch”) works with Cage to not only make him battle ready, but also to complete her own mission of finally ending the Mimic threat.

Directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), Edge of Tomorrow is a gritty, hard nosed action thriller that pays homage to countless sci-fi films before it - movies such as Starship Troopers, Aliens, and of course, the comedy classic Groundhog Day. The movie mixes heart racing action with a surprising sense of humor, keeping you captivated through every attempt and re-try. There’s almost a syncopated rhythm to how the film works. “Live. Die. Repeat.” is more than a tag line, it also perfectly lays out the films plot, and somehow, never feels bogged down in each new life for Major Cage.

What gives the movie such life is its wonderful cast. Cruise is the perfect lead for the film. His movie star charisma is brilliantly subverted by playing such a slimy asshole in Cage, and those who have lost the love due to his antics over recent years will love seeing Cruise die time and time again. It’s an extremely self-aware role for him, and he lives up to every minute. The real joy of the movie is Emily Blunt, finally showcasing what Marvel Studios lost when they weren’t able to secure her as Black Widow, and I cannot wait to see the legions of fans Rita Vrataski gains with the release of this film. At the least, between her exoskeleton and helicopter blade sword, I’m sure we’re going to see cosplayers a plenty this summer. Blunt is incredibly captivating, and incredibly bad ass here, and I hope she gets more of an opportunity to be a thinking-man’s action movie femme fatale.  With two solid leads, Edge of Tomorrow surrounds them with brilliant character actors, including a grumpy Brendan Gleeson as the UDF Commander, and a brilliant Bill Paxton, showing us what would’ve happened to Aliens' Hudson had he grown up, as Master Sergeant Farrell.

Minus some issues with the films ending - similar to Cruise’s own War of the Worlds - Edge of Tomorrow is a hell of a great time at the movies. Is it perfect? No. But it’s a high B+. A solid 8/10. A movie that showcases everything the Summer movie season should be about. And hopefully, you can enjoy it just as much as I did. Check it out before it leaves theaters.