How This Film Made The Most Unique Aliens in All of Cinema - Edge Of Tomorrow

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The Mimics in the movie "Edge of Tomorrow" presented an intriguing design challenge. These creatures had to possess a level of menace that necessitated the repetition of time itself to defeat them, while also not being so invincible that they were beyond defeat.
To accomplish this, I believe the filmmakers capitalized on the concept of the unknown, transforming the Mimics into the most enigmatic extraterrestrial entities in cinematic history. Their movements, appearance, combat tactics, and even their sounds were deliberately crafted to be utterly unfamiliar. When a threat as formidable as the Mimics remains shrouded in mystery on all fronts, the act of confronting them repeatedly becomes the means of gradually uncovering their weaknesses.
In this video, we will delve into the methods employed by the filmmakers to make these creatures exceptionally distinctive and formidable. We'll also examine why other films often refrain from using a similar approach. Furthermore, we'll explore how this theme of the "power of the unknown" was skillfully integrated into the movie's narrative.
So, let's embark on an exploration of a film that may not have received widespread attention but still stands as one of the most inventive and captivating creations of the past decade!
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
1:12 - Design
5:30 - Movement
10:00 - Dirt!
10:58 - Closing Thought
11:25 - Outro
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#edgeoftomarrow #tomcruise #emilyblunt #vfx #filmmaking

[@BlackGryph0n]

Their anatomy is never explicitly stated, but they seem to be silica based lifeforms with an extremely high body temperature (which is why they’re able to move so quickly)! Their blood looks like molten rock, and when it gets on Tom Cruise, his face literally melts! Very cool design and great visual storytelling!

[@NakedAvanger]

thats a good point actually

[@Willists]

Always thought their blood was a sort of acid which was acidic enough to melt through skin

[@dragonmaster3207]

Black griffon! You here?

[@jonathansiagian2729]

just curious, how does having high body temperature allow such speed? Or is it to do with silica based life?

[@Zeus-bn3nc]

@@jonathansiagian2729 A lot of chemical reactions go way faster when it's hotter so they can just perform every action faster. In the human body alone we need a lot of katalysts to even allow for certain bodily functions to not shut down due to the reactions not being feasible at body temperature without aid.

[@garricksantos]

I still can't comprehend how much this film slept on. It's one of my favorite sci-fi films. I'm glad it's been getting deserved recognition over the years.

[@LamirLakantry]

You should read the manga it was based on. Yes, manga. "All You Need Is Kill"

[@OnePieceSS23]

I think it was overlook because of some small hollywood cliches on movies that makes it hard to be taken as something deep, but overtime I was able to ignore those details to like the film more

[@mricsoke4096]

@@LamirLakantry or see the anime :)

[@mistersniffers5922]

@@LamirLakantry And there's a novelization as well, if you're willing to read yet another version of the screenplay!

[@jhtrq1465]

Because this movie it's just average garbage. And the presence of Tom Cruise is a flaw in itself.

[@MoonBlinked13]

The mimics kicking up sand and dirt makes sense even from an in-universe perspective. They would have to push with a massive amount of force to move that quickly. And the way the tentacles dig into the ground, and how they shift their body weight, would account for why they don't skid when sharply changing direction. Just really, really good creature design.

[@Necrobin]

And with their momentum being their main strength they must really hate fighting on the beach!

[@dinohorseaborus]

I remember watching this in the theater and being absolutely HORRIFIED by the mimics. It felt so hopeless to even try to fight them. But it was so cool to see the main characters confidence grow throughout the movie, which in turn increased my confidence as well. Amazing story telling through character design 👌

[@EirikBull]

I love this film. I watched it in the cinema and bought it on bluray. And I have to say, the mimics are one of my favorite movie aliens ever. :)

[@UnseenMenace]

Same, I am also one of the people that actually went to see it and also have it on Bluray :)

[@frederiquerijsdijk]

Must have been great in cinema. I found this one much later, but it's still one of my favorite movies of all time. Up there with things like The Matrix.

[@coffeecrusader4863]

Same I also have it on blu ray. Didn't see it in the cinema though.

[@0ooTheMAXXoo0]

The film was great, but at one point towards the end it started feeling like every other action movie all of a sudden... Like, now we just wrap things up for the next 5-10 minutes or whatever it was...

[@brandonhoffman4712]

Edge of tomorrow, the expanse, and the movie life. My top 3 scifi aliens. Ones a fungus, 2 are similar, but the one in the movie life probably creeps me out the most.

[@ethanpflederer3395]

I love how the mimics almost seem to tumble in whichever direction they choose in any given moment. That's what truly sold them for me.

[@theomegawerty9688]

It's also interesting they are called mimics but don't mimic

[@Zer0DigitalStudio]

​@@theomegawerty9688 The name originated from the light novel. But I've only read the manga, where they also didn't mimic anything. It's a very interesting question.

[@kudosbudo]

@@Zer0DigitalStudio They mimic the first life forms they encountered in the novel which believe in the novel to be star fish.

[@OndraMike]

you would not loved them, if they were real...

[@dyscea]

Ah. Beautiful analogy. Wish I was that graceful when I trip.

[@ErdingerLi]

I really love this movie. I was younger and didn't think too much about the alien's design, but now that you discussed it. Yes, they are truly the most unique. To the point a "head" had to be added in order for our human mind to even have some form of comprehension to it. It really adds to the notion that perhaps when we really find alien life, it'd be so alien that we wouldn't even know it was alien life

[@koiyujo1543]

that's very true

[@alztcr]

I went to watch this movie in the theatre with some friends. None of us really knew what the movie was about and we went simply because there was Tom Cruise in it, but after Tom's first death scene, all our jaws dropped, we had never seen anything like this before and we were hooked

[@BennyProductions]

I loved the aliens in Arrival too

[@HTMangaka]

That's a good pick. Honestly though, the liguistic-centric story told there did most of the heavy lifting to make those guys feel alien. They're really just a 7-legged squid with no eyes. XD

[@misterdoctor9693]

I just scrolled down to mention the heptapods!

[@audiooddities9982]

I like the aliens, I didn't care for the movie too much though

[@audiooddities9982]

I like the aliens, I didn't care for the movie too much though

[@21Arrozito]

​@@HTMangakathat's what makes them so alien though, even in Edge of Tomorrow, the aliens have things that we recognize like eyes and teeth, and they roar, they're big just big animals trying to exterminate us. It's something familiar to us and not really that "alien". In arrival, the aliens are much more "alien", there's no discernable head or eyes, they don't look like most creatures we interact with. And, most importantly, their intentions are unknown right up until the end of the movie. That makes them a lot spookier and "alien" than the aliens in Edge of Tomorrow, or indeed all other sci-fi movies.

[@brenchyalowicois6748]

Can’t believe you only briefly mentioned the sound design. The sound of constant ‘inhaling’ and the air rushing into the jaw is such an alien thing combined with something we understand

[@Novehx]

Ikr I loved their sounds so much

[@lunarmothcat]

Their breathing sounds like some sort of jet engine, and it looks like they breath fire or some shit. Really ads to their alienness, couldn't imagine a living creature with such biological behaviour

[@____Carnage____]

⁠@@lunarmothcat the terrifying beauty of nature is that it will try anything and everything

[@alicequinn505]

He mentioned it once with the sand

[@Vinemaple]

yeah, didn't see it, was hoping to get a listen

[@BeYera3]

These Aliens, much like the movie itself, are truly unique and fascinating. Edge of Tomorrow ranks very high on my favorite movies list, and it's definitely an underrated movie!

[@vvnstn]

In the Halo games there's this species that partly makes up The Covenant called the Lekgolo (i.e. the Hunters) that are somewhat similar to how the Mimics in Edge Of Tomorrow originally were designed that being as many smaller worm-like creatures that can make a singular larger and more capable entity when working together

[@ed32568]

I know we've seen this in Halo Landfall, but imagine if we had different forms of Lekgolo combinations in the games, they could be amazing to fight.

[@orez30]

@@ed32568 Scarabs are also Lekgolo

[@yimpyoi9808]

@@ed32568there are the scarabs, harvesters from spartan ops which are mining vehicles, and goliaths in halo wars which are basically just bigger hunters without a cannon

[@DrewWestPress]

This movie is VERY underrated. Shame it didn’t do well in theatres.

[@py_a_thon]

Part of the reason it is probably such a solid movie is that it was based on what I have heard is a solid anime/manga. And not the fan service kind. The graphic novel mode. Sort of why the first Pacific Rim movie is great also. That + Guillermo and his weird obsession with Lovecraftian nightmare fuel themes lol.

[@ThatOneRussianTank]

wdym? It did amazing!

[@nikolai3620]

@@ThatOneRussianTank That is incorrect.

[@ThatOneRussianTank]

@@nikolai3620 really?

[@jangdi.]

Underrated??? HELL NO!

[@TheBlackEventorizon]

Edge Of Tomorrow was derived from the Light Novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka - Despite some parts being wildly different I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the film at how well it adapted the Light Novel and the Manga.

[@speziell1575]

It is honestly amazing how he never mentions it in this video. He keeps going on about the filmmakers decision this and that, completely ignoring that they did not create any of this from scratch.

[@Soundwave1900]

​@@speziell1575to be honest, the movie is so different from the novel it might as well be called its own thing that's only inspired by All you need is kill.

[@randomdude3578]

​@@speziell1575blatantly false. The mimics here are nothing like the mimics in the light novel or manga at all. They may as well be different species due to how different they are. So yeah, he should concentrate on the filmmakers here, since the only thing they took out of the manga and ln mimics is the name and the time travel ability. Everything else is original work that the studio did.

[@jgphantom6]

@randomdude3578 but the time travel ability is literally what sets the apart from other aliens in film... If All You Need Is Kill hadn't been written then this film wouldn't exist and that's a fact so I don't see how it's too much to ask to just at least name drop the original author to recognise that this story exists because of him.

[@TheBlackEventorizon]

@@randomdude3578 They changed the location from Japan to Europe but they kept the Exoskeletons, the male & female protagonists, the time mechanics and most of the solution to the invasion - The only major plot point they changed was the every ending between Keiji and Rita, because I doubt they felt they could get away with that and still feel like the film ended positively which would have left viewers feeling very unsatisfied. This is very similar to say The Lion King which is based on Hamlet, or She's the Man which is basically Twelfth Night in a modern setting. Yes, they restyled the mimics as they wouldn't have worked very well on screen, but besides that the core ideas are all still there.

[@xyro3633]

The design of these aliens always fascinated me, they're essentially a living blender

[@matthewmoran1866]

My favourite aspect of the Mimics is how their totally alien style of movement connects to their different relationship to space and time, their ability to control time makes their super fast alien movement seem all the more fitting. Similar to how the aliens in Arrival in the way that their slow, deliberate movements reflect their different relationship to time.

[@simian9200]

I think one of the coolest and most alien things about the Mimics is just how damn *quick* they are. It's like they just _ignore_ inertia -- blitzing forward in an instant, turning on a dime, whirling around like a tornado of flesh and malice. Perfect example, that scene where Bill Cage (Cruise's character) first gets his reset abilities from that Alpha he mutual-kills with a hand-held claymore -- the Mimic turns around, spots him, and then it's just _on him_ in the blink of an eye. If he hadn't already had his hand on the claymore, it would have been over. Everything about them screams "lethal and unstoppable" and you *feel* that watching them move. The soldiers in their powersuits look like they're moving through molasses by comparison.

[@joseislanio8910]

This and you start to actually feel tired just by looking at the soldiers trying to move in those suits

[@antonliakhovitch8306]

But, as the video stressed, the truly mind-blowing thing is that they're believable DESPITE defying the laws of physics. If you want a counterexample, watch any Marvel superhero fight scene. You can really feel, on a gut level, how basic physical principles are violated and it really takes away from the action.

[@gregorstrohman3619]

Strongly agree. In pnp-rpg, some demons have the ability "paraphysicality", meaning they may ignore inertia and gravity and friction to various extent. A very specific, very dangerous demon of the war-domain is described as "having a twitching birds head with jagged teeth, and five tentacles which attack without moving, yet create a whirlwhind of murder and pain" When I saw the mimics, I was chilled. This is now how I describe demons of war from beyond reality.

[@cyborgchicken3502]

Even in the original Japanese graphic novel/manga that the movie is based off (All you need is Kill) the mimics were very bizarre in design, there were essentially floating spheres with a circular opening for a mouth with teeth and that can shoot spikes out of their body, I highly recommend you read it, its' very good.

[@RurouniHiro]

I see it as they defying the laws of physics and more abusing it, look at how they lash random tentacles from a “still” position. Now take that as a grapple, and throwing their mass along that line with adjacent tentacles striking the ground to maintain adjust trajectory of the core mass. And they are constantly moving even while at a moment of pause, like a line with a weight spinning and ready to release to go any which way. So there isn’t any static inertia to break. (Like a single wheel with a gyroscope with a weight wheel for counter balance)

[@simonhughes-king8493]

I was crew on this film at Leavesden Studios for 12 weeks. We had the beach, farmhouse, Heathrow and trailer park sets on the back lot. It was great being involved but really cold as it was filmed across November to January. I could never understand at the time why we were doing so many takes of apparently the same scene..... The beach explosions were actually really big, the thump went right through me. It is a fantastic film, easily one of my favourites.

[@anthony212459]

🧢

[@RustyNox]

It baffles me as to why Tom still hasn't received an industry award for his role, nor any of the workshops?

[@mitaroulacrar6461]

​@@anthony212459yeah movie crews can't have a normal life or comment in a video about the movie they made😂

[@chrism3784]

It was odd seeing a trailer park so close to a beach in France. I figured coastal property in France would be valued higher.

[@tregoboing]

Sounds like an awesome experience I hope you enjoyed it despite the weather! Making a film that is usually shot out of order must be confusing enough without time jumps.

[@chrisanderson7820]

Still one of the best true scifi films ever made. Plus it also manages to combine comedy, hype action and good characters without getting in the way of the full speed ahead script.

[@riloegaming]

The design of this movie is super underrated, but the story, pacing, and comedy are all super under appreciated as well. It’s just an all-around enjoyable movie to watch

[@cthonmon_4781]

One shudders to think what circumstances create creatures who have evolved to be literally so unpredictable that the only way of surviving a hostile encounter from them is to reset time over and over and over again. Great job, Doug Liman.

[@shatterhusk6755]

The alien in "Nope" was absolutely insane and oddly beautiful. EoT, Nope, Annihilation, Arrival, Color out of Space - I love these movies for their truly ALIEN aliens and visuals, very much in tune with "cosmic horror".

[@sewagevolcano4083]

I was thinking of nope as soon as I clicked on the video. Such a cool design.

[@INeedToSeeYourBalls1945]

​@@sewagevolcano4083Such a cool twist on what we understand a UFO to he. The UFO didn't house the alien is *WAS* the alien.

[@fringehouse]

⁠@@INeedToSeeYourBalls1945and what’s even cooler is I feel like it’s supposed to be the kind of alien angels were based off of. look up seraph angel

[@aminashehu8628]

This movie, nope, and the Martian from the movie Life

[@MattJett]

I thought the alien lifeform from Annihilation was the most alien. The whole time we don't actually understand its real form. Is it the 4D undulating tetrahedron or the chrome mimic or is it a microorganism collective? I haven't read the other two books in the Southern Sun series, but the way it was represented in the film...was beautifully haunting.

[@LukeLockwood]

Easily some of the coolest aliens ever made. The jaws of an apex predator combined with the volatility of the tentacles is frightiningly beautiful to watch. Also why I loved the aliens from "Tomorrow War" (despite the movie being meh).

[@Walkingonair-698]

I've attempted several times to watch Tomorrow war and every time I just couldn't get past the first 30 min or so. Whilst I've already re-watched Edge of tomorrow several times 😂 and probably if someone asks me to watch one of these two movies again, I'd probably choose Edge of tomorrow again 😂😢 It's just that good ❤

[@adityah5620]

Darkest hour had a pretty unique alien design too..again in an underwhelming movie.

[@Walkingonair-698]

@@adityah5620 netflix rip that movie off, didn't they?

[@schmodedo]

Yeah the aliens in "Tomorrow War" were pretty good. The effects were great, and the action was solid, but the story could have used better editing for flow.

[@ghlewis]

​@schmodedo I thought Tomorrow War definitely needed a better storyline; probably, it was the editing. Edge of Tomorrow is one of my favorites and it is a great movie

[@herbderbler1585]

I was confused at first when the aliens appeared to move in a very unrealistic way, but after learning they can control time itself, it made sense. The main plotline involves Cage the human learning to utilize one single element of time control, but it's a really cool touch to show the aliens manipulating time in a much more fundamental way since it's a core part of their nature. Their very movements appear to operate outside of the flow of time as we know it. They are truly alien to us on multiple levels and I think the filmmakers did a great job demonstrating that.

[@GC-ed2zw]

I saw this movie somewhat soon after it was released and it was instantly moved to the top 3 in my sci fi list because of the design on the creatures! I absolutely loved it and never really realized how unknown this movie was because I found it so great, almost no one I know has seen it without me introducing it to them! Edit: Still one of my top 3 sci fi movies of all time! And def top 5 of all time when including all other genres.

[@a2d]

I saw this movie in the theater twice. I saw it the first time and thought holy crap, this is amazing, how come nobody is seeing it?! So I dragged along a few friends to watch it again. The Mimics were one of my favorite features of the movie for the same reason you made this video.

[@heymrnickerbocker]

LOL ME TOO!!! Ì went to see it in 3D both times. Once with my best friend then I made my husband watch it. 😂😂

[@BowTie8Bit]

EoT is one of the best action films ever made, with an incredible story to tell. It sucks so much that so few people gave it a shot when it came out.

[@andrewpearson3516]

I don't like the phrase at all so few people give it a shot. Because that's just not how life works. Giving it a shot makes it sound like they were asked . When the reality is that not everyone is interested in sci-fi. Not everyone wants to go to the cinema in spring . It also doesn't fall under that family movie bracket where you take your kids to as a day trip or treat. It's just the way life is

[@kane8165]

I would recommend reading the manga. It is quite different from the film, so you won't just be re-reading the same story. The manga's name is All You Need Is Kill.

[@user-dx3de8pt9z]

Its not that deep homie@@andrewpearson3516

[@Novehx]

@@andrewpearson3516comparing it to other successful-in-theatres sci-fi- non family friendly movies bud. Not to just any movie…

[@Hmmmm..ok3]

​@@kane8165 it's a novel not a manga These are two different things

[@SalviAlmighty]

When I went to see Edge of Tomorrow in theater, I had seen the trailer, but I had no idea what the movie truly was about except war and timeloops. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I came out of this movie completely mindblown. It was my "best of the year", and I still hold it very high in my "of all times" list. We got the manga it was adapted from ("All you need is Kill") as well.

[@SMotionAnimations]

"Made the mimics into the most 'alien alien' in all of cinema." Xenomorph casual crying in the corner of the vent.

[@trolleriffic]

It's iconic but it's also far more familiar, with a body shape that's similar to many primates (two legs, two "arms" and a tail) and a life cycle based on that of parasitoid wasps which are truly fascinating and horrifying creatures in their own right - they're examples of viral symbiosis, each wasp species carrying a unique polyDNA virus encoded in its own genome which is only expressed in the ovaries of the female wasp. Viral particles are produced to be injected into the host organism along with the egg, and the virus wipes out the host's immune system!

[@Mattfication]

I can't believe this movie flopped. I think I even saw some clip from this movie in your video before and I was like yeah, haven't seen that in a while, I better go see Edge of Tomorrow. It's so infectious with how good it makes you feel about everything. The aliens, the story, acting, characters, narrative... all of it. Great video about one great part of this movie! May people retroactively go seek it and want more of this, cause I want more of this too lol.

[@obsidianjane4413]

It was too deep a concept for most people to accept. That time wasn't linear and fixed etc. And not enough people hate Tom Cruise enough to want to pay to watch him die hundreds of times. lol.

[@jessegriffin9]

Wdym it flopped? It lost money?

[@kobayashimaru8114]

I didn't know it flopped? Everyone I speak to about it seems to have seen it so it's a very popular movie in my sphere.

[@nasilelelisselo2348]

It didn't flop

[@fredrikfjeld1575]

If they had kept to the original ending of the manga they based it on, then Edge of Tomorrow would have been a cult classic remembered for the rest of time. Sadly they opted for a happy ending instead.

[@RoCrown]

It's one of my favourite science fiction films. I truly believe it deserves to be in the pantheon of great sci-fi movies. Its concept, execution, CGI, acting, action, everything is pitch perfect, but what I think I appreciate the most are its quiet moment between Bill and Rita because they emphasize the humanity that they're all sacrificing so much to protect.

[@theminecraft4202]

not to discredit the film and filmaking but the scenario is an adaptation of the manga "All you need is kill"

[@benedictusharyanto4109]

@@theminecraft4202agreed, and I think the way the people behind the film adapt the original source to fit the “mainstream” hollywood science fiction recipe is brilliant. One of the best live action manga adaptations ever made in my opinion.

[@SnidgetAsphodel]

I wholeheartedly agree. It is one of the GREATEST sci-fi movies. I will fight anyone on this.

[@chriz9959]

what can i say its one of the best if not the best sci-fi movies for me, and ive seen it many many times. the story, the effects, the creatures, the emotions, everything makes me rewatch the film all over again. very well done, yet still so underrated

[@shirosharkdeer]

I swear it's criminal how underrated this movie is, it's in my top 5 of all time and i'm not even a movie guy

[@aKetO-uKAhinoto]

This is probably one of my favorite Sci-fi movies I've seen, glad to see it covered

[@mistersniffers5922]

Yeah, I've only seen it like 9 times now. Better give it another chance, or read that manga again :D

[@Mr_Glenn]

You should watch "The Tomorrow War". It's amazing!

[@ultrainstinct4060]

I wonder how you'd react to the Manga's alien designs that the film was based on called "All you need is kill". They were pretty different looking. More like meatballs than spaghetti.

[@ikmor]

Makes me think of The Langoliers. 😅

[@obsidianjane4413]

Manga often doesn't translate well on to big screen format for international ('Merican) audiences.

[@ultrainstinct4060]

@@obsidianjane4413 Yeah, Ghost in the shell, Kite, Death note, cowboy bebop, and many other anime and manga are just butchered by American filmmakers. But edge of tomorrow did it arguably better than the manga.

[@devin6079]

@@ultrainstinct4060You seen the Japanese attack on titan movie? Lol

[@ultrainstinct4060]

@@devin6079 Lmao that was awful. I'm not saying Japanese filmmaker's are much better, their live action Full metal alchemist, bleach, and death note are all pretty bad too. But at least it sticks to the damn source material and doesn't change shit for modern western audiences that get offended.

[@patarkovax]

this is probably one of my favorite movies, its sad that so many people missed out on such an incredible movie

[@user-fu7eh2mk5n]

I remember watching this in theatres when i was way younger. Still one of my favorite movies to this day, felt like a combination of Halo and WW2

[@blindConjecture]

Super cool to hear how much work went into these. I always thought that having so many limbs/tentacles moving so fast made them scarier, because it was impossible to track their movements.

[@jiminverness]

If their speed could be believable, maybe. And then, if that were believable, then some explanation how the humans had the slightest chance of surviving and holding out against them as long as shown, maybe - because their equipment didn't _look_ in any way like it gave them any chance to keep up in close combat.

[@carbon-structure]

It was pretty nice how that tied into their ability to control time, Mimics were fast because they themselves had already been on that beach a thousand times and they were just hyper efficient at slaughtering resistance and mastering every scenario. What is better is that the audience doesn't need to be hand held to understand how powerful and planet destroying they are, it's just self evident. Fantastic monster design imho. The original 'All you need is kill' manga delves deeper into these concepts

[@user-jm6hy2vi3i]

the movie is actually based on a manga named "All you Need is Kill" by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and the art by Takeshi Obata. The movie got most of the details shown in the book as well Edit: Not really the aliens part, but almost everything else

[@fennelwink]

It was a light novel before it was a manga. Not sure why less people have read the novel version. It's been translated into English as well. All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, the novel came out in December 2004. The manga version came out in 2014.

[@brisingrprotogen1739]

Honestly makes this the second best anime/light novel/manga to live action adaptation, short of Speed Racer

[@kumakell]

@@fennelwink It was released on Amazon and hit a *lot* of recommended lists for sci-fi readers, so I am also surprised.

[@Adam-tx3iq]

I have read the book after watching the trailer for the movie, just to be able to appreciate it more. The movie is still stuck in my head as one of the worst book adaptations I have ever experienced. The aliens have almost nothing to do with the book ones (in which they were actual mimics learning and adapting for months/years of the invasion), the blood transfusion bit in the movie is way less cool than the book mechanics of it. Not to mention the book/manga power armor looked slick in comparison to the movie crap. The ending of the movie is the biggest issue. They made this moving bitter-sweet ending into an Independence Day-like "Blow up the mothership" Amerika wins ending. Not worth it.

[@splicer1158]

Man this is one of my favorite movies that I still watch every now and then.

[@forgesoulfire1320]

I've used the thematic stories in this movie and the monster design in so many of my own ways throughout tabletop games I've run since it's release and I'm honestly doubtful if any of my players ever picked up on the ways I'd done it... this movie is so underrated honestly... like holy hell is it badly unappreciated in my own perspective.

[@JacqueBruce0]

I saw this movie in theaters with an old friend and we did not know what to expect at all (we didn’t watch any trailers! Just went in blind). It was incredible and I always thought it was successful; it genuinely shocks me to now learn that it wasn’t

[@SwiftNuts]

The special effects guys really went all out on this one. It's always cool when a film or project requires new techniques to be produced to see it to fruition.

[@animeandwieardness6132]

I took my oldest kids to see it in the theater. It was cool seeing it on the 70th anniversary of D-day.

[@WestOfEarth]

I'd add to this excellent critique that Edge of Tomorrow is one of the few films that does time travel correctly.

[@VallisYT]

Hey, I just wanted to say that I truly admire the work you are doing here! Your expertise in this field can be felt throughout your whole channel, and each video offers me a new perspective on movies. I have seen Edge of Tomorrow twice, but due to your breakdown of the alien I can appreciate the work that went into this movie even more. I follow a lot of creators that talk about films, yet your approach to your topics is something I have not seen before. So, thank you, I am really glad I have found your channel! I have been following you for a while now and I am looking forward to all your future projects :)

[@CGWHY]

Thank you so much! That's such a very lovely review! I'm really glad you're enjoying it 😅

[@dojinho]

How about the aliens from Arrival? Concerning this movie, my favorite aspect was that Mr. Tom Cruise started as a very believable anti-hero who would do anything (understandably enough) to get out of a combat mission against these terrifying invaders.

[@dan.j.boydzkreationz]

It's such a limiting premise to claim what the title does, considering how many truly bizarre creature designs there are, with entirely alien life-cycles and morphologies. Cloverfield Dude, the colossus in The Mist, Xenomorphia, the ones in Contact, Heptapods, the Draƺwï and ĒmpōrēkāTøn in Ẋëdīndūctançe, the golden ball in Sphere, the Monoliths in 2001 A Space Odyssey...

[@jiminverness]

@@dan.j.boydzkreationz Indeed, a claim exaggerated beyond credibility as your examples expose.

[@blottengs]

@dan.j.boydzkreationz The heptapods from arrival are a mix of squid with the appearence of a human in a straitjacket in the upper body. Cloverfield seemes like a giant bat without the wings. All Xenomorphs have a human shape, with an alongated head, but still with mouths. Contact I do not recall there were any aliens, just the concept of them, since they used Ellie's memories to give them shape as her deceased father. About the colossus of the Mist, it feels like it got out from one of the Dali's paintings for it's long legs, but it just looks like an elephant with 6 legs, all the "appendages" from the belly seems like a centipede that goes way up to the head. The golden ball is just a ball, the monoliths are just rectangles... "Draƺwï and ĒmpōrēkāTøn in Ẋëdīndūctançe" I don't know what that is and there is nothing in google about it, if you care to show me some image about it. The poin to be made is that the human creativity is bound to what it can sense. We cannot create something beyond time nor space nor matter. And whats more, we are limited by our own experience. All the aliens are a mix of what we already saw. We cannot create something entirely new, we just mix things to create impossible scenarios. The same thing happens with the mimics, if you see the conceptual art you can see they are just quadrupeds, the difference is that their limbs are almost omnidirectional. And since their limbs are composed of tentacles, they can also dismantle them to form smaller limbs. But still, they have faces and mouths and eyes. It is not something completely new from ground zero. Nothing really is.

[@dezelvol]

@@dan.j.boydzkreationz there is so much more alien aliens - The Thing, Event Horizon. Freaking Solaris - alien god that is not aware what he is. "most unique" is so much exaggerated statement.

[@rivenarchon333]

​@@dan.j.boydzkreationzWhile I agree that most of those are good examples, I think the mimics beat all of those I'm familiar with in originality and implementation. A ball is, no matter the lore, a ball.

[@alargefarva4274]

This movie is on my podium of favourite sifi movies. The ability to hide the fact that it is a video game movie is truly magnificent.

[@buryitdeep]

This is a movie to rewatch every few years.

[@germansniper5277]

I freaking love this movie and it's a shame we barely get anything like it anymore.

[@Amy-J]

Another great video man! What I love about you is that even if we’ve seen films like this before and think ‘yeah that was pretty good’, you’re here to shake us and remind us just how much work goes into these efforts, that even CGI isn’t as easy as pressing one button to let something render.

[@jakespacepiratee3740]

Hey i didnt expect to see you here!

[@gendygoblin8391]

The game Prey had a very similar design to the Mimics and actually had a faction of the Typhon that were called mimics because they would shapeshift into everyday objects.

[@petrovepryk3786]

I was a sailor on my first contract, and this movie was running non-stop on the TV monitor in my cabin, for at least a month. My roommate set it up and I didn't even want to change anything. Just muted it sometimes, from time to time. And you know, what? It was perfectly fine. And still, I can watch it anytime and enjoy it.

[@rollotomasislawyer3405]

Also, the staging of the battle/s on the beach connects directly with our subconscious images of the most famous images both theatrical and real of war scenes we’ve all watched. Hitting the beach is one of the most gripping, chaotic and nerve racking spectacles of war.

[@TheLingo56]

Annihilation has a fantastically alien "alien" So alien it's arguably the reason the movie kind of tanked at the box office 😅

[@CGWHY]

Ah damn! I've forgotten about that! Yea that alien was amazing, one of the few that I couldn't figure out how they did! Might have to do a video on it at some point

[@duran9664]

🛑Why we always show “aliens” as ugly scary creatures? 😒 I assume if they r smarter & more advanced than us, they at least would look stunning & magnificent🤏

[@pluto9000]

I thought they did a great job with that alien. It was like seeing something the human mind can't understand.

[@Narko_Marko]

I think it flopped because it was a boring movie. The only good thing about it were the visuals but they were just a bunch of ideas that werent connected to the narrative. Whatever the writers had in mind they said "the shimmer did it". And the characters are all boring and not likeable at all.

[@graytonw5238]

Agreed on that. Not only was it visually unlike anything in other alien movies, but it was so unworldly that even its intentions were never really understood, if there were any. As for tanking at the box office, I think the movie was a little too cerebral for most people. When movies need non-stop action and simplistic plots to draw tons of people, movies like Annihilation get side-lined.

[@lukaskelley1237]

Idk, i would give the "truly alien" reward to Annihilation, its alien is completely unlike anything. You dont even see it until the last few minutes of the film, and even then it can be assumed that that is STILL not its "true" form. Try to describe the appearance of the Annihilation "alien" to someone who's never seen it. It's REALLY difficult and almost impossible.

[@robpolaris7272]

Absolute classic sci fi movie! They took a complex concept and made it clear and easy to understand. Bill Paxton raised the quality of every film he made! RIP.

[@fluxster1022]

It feels like so many amazing sci-fi films go unlooked. Edge of Tomorrow, District 9, The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008), Arrival, The Tomorrow War, even The Happening or The Fourth Kind. Films that aren't only meant to entertain but also to give people even a small grasp on what is realistically possible. Thank you so much. I just found your channel and will be checking out more soon

[@ashtonoden7540]

Edge of tomorrow is a movie I have watched every year since it came out. I just love the frantic way they move.

[@cedriceric9730]

I noticed that too, it's extremely realistic . I also love the combat system - one of the few aliens that would genuinely pose a threat to modern military forces today

[@MrDobilina]

'Sci-fi never predicted a smart phone' - Ignoring 1960s star trek with a litteraly flip phone, and 80s trek with PADDs

[@koiyujo1543]

the fact that they were able to animate these things is utter ground breaking and amazing for their determanation and skill

[@raw_pc]

Extremely underrated sci-fi movie. Cool story, great acting, exceptional designs. I love it

[@JZsBFF]

Underrated? Really? For the rest I agree that this is a highly entertaining story although the script has some annoying shortcomings.

[@bjones8470]

The only Cruise film I rewatch regularly. This was a really informative video. The minute I imagined those moving without all of the sand and dirt being kicked up I could see how awful it would have looked. Just genius effects artists. Not even nominated for the Visual Effects Oscar

[@Skeetpete]

One of my greater favorite movies. I dont usually watch a movie more than 3 times but I have watched this movie more than 10 times. Sucks that everytime I look for it, it costs money instead of just being on a streaming service I have.

[@TheNewDaneraw]

I remember seeing this film in theatres and being completely blown away. It had been marketed as just another sci-fi action film, but the experience o-f getting to see it before it reached the pop culture appreciation we know today is a cool, hipster-style feeling I'll hold onto for life

[@expractj]

Another creature that is a tentacle mess (although not as complicated or alien as the mimics) is the Carrion monster from that game, it really got me into this genre of monsters

[@KenanTheFab]

I wish I could like Carrion but the game itself made me motion sick, the gameplay is extremely linear and basic and just... doesn't really feel like you are an alien creature but just a blob of flesh with tendrils.

[@Luring_Leon]

I love the fact that this movie can be compared to someone losing to a hard boss in a video game and slowly learning the bosses move set every time they fight him.

[@spacemuffins1233]

I remember reading the manga that this movie was based on, definitely one of the best sci-fi settings out there

[@aac993]

I've seen "Edge Of Tomorrow" least 8 times already. Have it in 3D. Awesome film.

[@lordodysseus]

The Xenomorph from the alien franchise is definitely my favourite alien design. Maybe you could do a video on that? They're not really CGI for the most part, though.

[@CGWHY]

That's a great idea, would be cool to see their progression over time from "real" suit to CG character and how that affected each film's production

[@stu9000]

Strong agree

[@duran9664]

🛑Why we always show “aliens” as ugly scary creatures? 😒 I assume if they r smarter & more advanced than us, they at least would look stunning & magnificent🤏

[@Suthriel]

@@CGWHY i guess, you will have a good time with Alien 3, where they manage to make the Xenomorph miniature look like pure and not that good CGI in some shots :)

[@treborkroy5280]

I think the arachnids from Starship Troopers took the top alien design spot for me.

[@yah-monmultimedia1528]

Firstly, great video, nicely done. I saw the film in the theater not expecting much and was surprised how much I LOVED it. I utterly can’t understand why it’s not a well-known movie.

[@gengarghast]

God, I LOVED Edge of Tomorrow, the design of the Mimics just tickled my brain in JUST the right place. This is awesome.

[@GraeHall]

This was a frkn GREAT breakdown of why I enjoyed the movie, why those aliens felt so, alien. I put Edge of Tomorrow's aliens up there with those from Arrival, and Annihilation. There's this unknown and unknowable aspect to them, but there's just enough about them you see to get a vague handle on what they are, leaving you wanting but unable to know more. It's the perfect mix

[@lucas5530]

The mimics have been one of the creatures I've been trying and struggling to draw inspiration from for the longest time, mostly in the sense of how to describe their movement. But, finding this video helped to alleviate some of the problems with the cgi explanation, so thank you!

[@Faenry]

90% of why I love this movie is the design of the mimics and how they move, glad I'm not the only one who noticed and loved it

[@knutjunker2019]

In my opinion, the shape-shifting or shape-assimilating alien in Carpenter's "The Thing" is also a completely unique design. The fact that the alien can constantly change its shape, splitting off and reassimilating parts to create something completely new, and that you never know what it really looks like, makes it an equally unique and terrifying opponent that is in no way inferior to the Mimics.

[@michaelgimenez4032]

The Thing from john Carpenter is the other "most alien, alien". It was chaotic but also warped anything it could copy far beyond anything we can relate with on Earth. Not only it built tension like no other movies could but when The Thing was revealing itself, it did in the most alien way possible by not showing its true self but by absolutely corrupting anything it came across in the most lethal and grotesque way possible. Master piece i can't watch today because that "Thing" scarred me for life.

[@MarkAMMarrk]

I was surprised this movie didn't do well. I loved it in the theater and have watched it 3 times since (bought UHD version) and now I'm going to watch it again!

[@obsidianjane4413]

It got buried by Marvel movies.

[@nilspochat8665]

and their design in the original material _(All you need is kill)_ is even weirder. Somehow 'this design' at 6:12 is kinda in line with it, and it's genius. A shame it does not explore how the mimics shoot tungsten-like projectiles out of their 'mouths' or can terraform their environment but still, the movie elevates the comic/manga and it is rare when it happens.

[@nicosool7169]

The manga itself is adapted from a ligth novel (they’re both called «All you need is kill »). I haven’t read the novel though so I can’t comment on how the aliens were described in the actual source material.

[@aerickmon3350]

@@nicosool7169the movies better

[@mistersniffers5922]

wasn't a version of the mimic a superpowered mass produced mollusk of some sort? not an octopus, more like a spidercrab?

[@nilspochat8665]

@@mistersniffers5922 now now, that's not very alien if it looks like an animal, is it? The only difference between the regular mimics and the one that turns time is a pretty horn.

[@kudosbudo]

@aerickmon3350 The movie lacks the Tungston Carbide axes or the Jackhammer so i'll disagree.

[@puppybasket3906]

They really were unique creatures that looked like they were straight out of Lovecraft. Props to the designers and animators , I’ve worked as one and I was really curious as to how they rigged those guys.

[@baseddepartment6469]

I LOVED this movie. Watched it a few months ago with 0 spoilers and it was almost transformative to me. The twist is absolutely fantastic, and the aliens might be my favorite aliens in any media

[@skogen5357]

My dad took me and my brother to see this movie in IMAX when it premiered, hands down one of the best cinema experiences I've ever had.

[@davidfernelz]

I never watched this movie cuz it looked stupid from the previews but dang this makes me want to watch it.

[@24framedavinci13]

It's one of the best if not the best alien invasion movie

[@ILoveMyBikes]

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve watched it!

[@rano12321]

It's based on an anime. now you make the choice.

[@--Lam]

@@rano12321 OK, that instantly makes me skip it, thanks!

[@TheLingo56]

One of the top 5 action movies of the past 10 years. 1000% worth a watch!

[@noodlegod2797]

I can’t believe more people haven’t seen it. Anyone and everyone who even remotely likes sci-fi or aliens should experience this because of how crazy the aliens are - and how trippy the time loops feel.

[@karakask5488]

I was one of the 4 people that saw this in the theater and I loved it! I advocate for it as much as possible, even though they keep changing the title

[@rockkiller124]

Mimics are so damn unique and terrifyingly unpredictable.

[@Poverty-Tier]

Literally my favorite movie. It was fantastic in the theater back in 2014 and it still slaps today.

[@hammerofdavey]

The more I see this movie, the more I like it. The action scenes are some of the best in any sci-fi movie, especially one so military-centric. Definitely a classic to me.

[@davidsiretmarques3646]

The fact is that film is an adaptation from a Manga "All you need is kill" that is very very brutal and a lot more interesting, and in the manga the mimics are basically a bunch of balls with spikes on them. The desing in the film is awesome, and a lot more scary, and I love it.

[@mfbobyle6771]

Absolutely love this underrated movie. Has everything I love in sci-fi action movies. Up there with Aliens

[@SsufferinSsuccotash]

I think Nope’s Jean Jacket is a very alien looking alien too (when on full attack mode, not in Stetson mode)

[@Иная]

I love ambience of chaotic battle, where no one knows what is going on, like in this film. It's so real

[@KnowledgeNerd123]

I didn’t even watch this video but I’ve seen this movie at least 7-8 times it’s an absolute gem and arguably the best sci fi movie of the past 20 years

[@AxyzGrid]

This film really did a great job of making the aliens alien. The only other really out-there and truly alien creatures I can think of are the aliens from Invasion or the aliens from the Expanse (Ring builders and the even more foreign unknown aliens / unknown entities / void between spaces.

[@carbon-structure]

I remember seeing this for the first time in a cinema and was blown away by the design. Though there's definitely an element of Balrog mouth furnace in there, it still works. The concept that they can dominate worlds without any weapons because their whole existence is weaponized as an apex space faring life form is just really great sci fi.

[@Zacharysharkhazard]

I believe the Balrog mouth is due to them being silicon-based lifeforms, sporting a much much higher internal temperature.

[@CleanClaspCollector]

One of the best sci fi movies. Such an original concept. I hope one day they make a sequel although it’s looking unlikely

[@n8tr0nweb3]

One of my favorite alien movies ever. Totally underrated.

[@spacebum]

Great breakdown. It interesting to know how the designers came up with the idea of the mimics. I always thought there was no way you could fight them, but even when Rita was “out” she’d spent so long fighting them, she’d adapted and learnt how they move.

[@jbear3478]

She's a badass

[@felixjohnson3874]

Its particularly funny because, despite playing Rita who literally does the "you're shit I'm not" 'Strong Female Character' (TM) trope, she has explicitly said she typically hates playing them & finds them boring. Frankly I'm shocked there aren't more character breakdowns of Rita given how closely she superficially matches the archetype yet deviates so wildly in terms of actual character & substance.

[@IuliusPsicofactum]

I watched this movie so many times and I am never getting tired of it!!!! Watch. Finish. Repeat.

[@mattlawson714]

My favorite thing about great visual effects in movies is that it is always a result of innovation and problem-solving. The best visual effects ever were created by incredibly creative and intelligent people. You can have a big budget superhero movie, but it reminds me of a great quote from Dr. Ian Malcolm: “I'll tell you the problem with the scientific power that you're using here: it didn't require any discipline to attain it. You read what others had done and you took the next step. You didn't earn the knowledge for yourselves, so you don't take any responsibility for it. You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could…”. And it shows! Terminator Two, Jurassic Park, Blade Runner: those artists EARNED that knowledge to give us those stunning effects. Yeah, they stood on the shoulders of Giants, guys like Phil Tippet. It’s not about the budget, your video on District nine makes this very clear: it’s about the dedication to telling the story. To quote another Jurassic Park character “creation is an act of sheer will.”

[@LizardSkin]

Probably my favorite movie ever… joy at the sheer sight or mention of it.. can remember that feeling when the end credits started.. such a ride.