As a rule, I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t like “Groundhog Day.” Bill Murray inexplicably reliving the same day over and over provides for so many memorable moments, both comedic and heartfelt.

Applying that same premise to a blockbuster sci-fi action film starring Tom Cruise is an almost laughable idea. It doesn’t feel like something that should work, but in “Edge of Tomorrow,” it absolutely does. The film’s great lead performances, sense of humor and terrific pacing make it one of the most pleasant surprises of 2014 so far.

Based off a 2004 Japanese novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, “Edge of Tomorrow” follows William Cage (Cruise), a Major in the U.S. Military who is thrust into the front lines of an invasion of France five years after a powerful alien force took over continental Europe. The invasion is a horrific failure and after Cage is quickly killed, he mysteriously wakes up the previous day at the forward operating base. It turns out that every time he dies, the day is reset and he gets to try again. The only person on base who believes him is war hero Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), who promises to train him every day until he’s ready to use his newfound power to end the war.

While a decent amount of time is spent showing soldiers and aliens locked in gruesome combat, the crux of the story is deals with the nature of Cage’s time-bending ability. This is where “Edge of Tomorrow” truly shines, as Cruise and Blunt’s excellent onscreen chemistry makes their characters’ relationship compelling and believable. From a writing perspective, it had to be difficult to develop a relationship in which two people are essentially meeting each other for the first time every day, but the script does a great job of making all of their interactions seem plausible.

It doesn’t hurt that “Edge of Tomorrow” is legitimately funny, too. It’s not necessarily a comedy, but it manages to be lighthearted and goofy at just the right times. Bill Paxton’s character, a deep-south military man who is convinced that battle is the most glorious of professions, is particularly hilarious. Overall, the dialogue is snappy and the actors do a fine job of delivering the punchlines.

The flaws in “Edge of Tomorrow” aren’t major, but they are worth mentioning. The story might come apart at the seams just a little bit if you try to think about it too hard. It’s not a huge deal because summer action movies all require monumental suspension of disbelief, but in trying to explain why the day resets when Cage dies, the film opens up a few logical loopholes that don’t exist in something like “Groundhog Day” where the reasoning behind the repetition wasn’t important.

Another complaint that fans of the original novel have raised is that the setting and characters have been changed. The novel takes place in Japan and the characters in it are naturally Japanese. The film, on the other hand, takes place in Europe and both lead characters are white. The whitewashing of the story doesn’t exactly make the film worse because the premise can work in any cultural context, but it’s a valid criticism. Unfortunately, Hollywood is usually hesitant to greenlight adaptations of foreign works without making them more “accessible” to western audiences, and Tom Cruise sells tickets. The film is still good on its own, but its unnecessary deviation from the source material is still worth acknowledging.

Despite those flaws, however, “Edge of Tomorrow” is still highly recommendable to anyone looking for a summer film that doesn’t insult the audience’s intelligence. It strikes a good balance between being fun and exploring its themes, and it’s never boring. Blunt, in particular, is at the top of her game and the rest of the performances are top notch, as well. Overall, it’s a great time.