'The Tomorrow War' review: Great action sequences, but weak screenplay
Chris Pratt's sci-fi action drama, The Tomorrow War, has released and it's all about saving the world (Is Guardians of the Galaxy about that too?). In this Chris McKay-directorial, soldiers from the future appear to recruit people from the present to fight aliens, who will destroy the world. With great action scenes and amazing visuals, it's meant for a theatrical release. Here's our review.
What is the movie all about?
Dan Forester—a science teacher with a military background—is chosen to fight against the aliens called whitespikes. He promises to return to his wife and nine-year-old daughter Muri before being drafted to the future, where he fights the enemy and meets the adult Muri. They create a weapon, which Forester brings back to the present. How he saves the world is the movie's plot.
Visuals and action sequences make it a worthy watch
Although Pratt's cute face doesn't suit his action-hero image, the movie's action sequences are terrific. The scene that follows in the future world with the capture of a female alien is ultimate. With slo-mo action sequences, the film is made for the big screen. The cinematography is on point, especially during the fight scenes, with aliens hanging by a helicopter and the explosions.
Few scenes reminded of 'Stranger Things', 'Army of the Dead'
When we get the first glimpse of a whitespiker inside a building, the appearance and sound reminded me of the Netflix series Stranger Things. And, when Forester and his team fight the aliens in the building and on the road, it's surely what you must've seen in Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead. While the visuals are fantastic, we've seen similar effects in Marvel movies.
It also gives us that 'Thanos' vibe
Remember how Thanos wipes out half the universe in Avengers: Infinity War? Here, "human beings will be wiped off from the face of the earth"—a line that has been repeated quite a few times in the movie—if the future world is not saved from aliens.
Movie is not just sci-fi action, but has unlimited drama
The Tomorrow War's Action scenes are what keeps you hooked to the film. This movie also comes with unlimited drama related to fatherhood. It shows young Muri's tight bond with her father and how Forester re-bonds with the adult Muri. Also, the story focuses on Forester and his love-hate relationship with his dad. If you watch carefully, it's more about fatherhood than science fiction.
Which war to save?
While the government is focused on saving the future world, the present is in chaos due to riots. McKay shows that monsters or aliens are not your real enemy, but it's humans. The future is burning because of the whitespikers' attack and the present world is on fire due to people protesting against sending civilians to fight the war. The movie portrays parallel wars.
Scriptwriter should have been given more time; gets 3.5 stars
Released on Amazon Prime Video, the film also stars Yvonne Strahovski, Betty Gilpin, Seychelle Gabriel, Sam Richardson, and JK Simmons. With outstanding visual effects, The Tomorrow War is a one-time watch. If you're a fan of sci-fi and action scenes, you might like the film. However, the screenplay is a drawback; McKay should have spent some more time with the scriptwriter. Verdict: 3.5 stars.
