PG-13 | 2h 18m | Action, Adventure, Drama | 2021
As the saying goes, there is “nothing new under the sun.” This is true with Hollywood films. To minimize financial risk, film companies produce movies that feature variations of the same stories over and over and over. Since these narratives are being reused, the key lies in skilled filmmakers who craft interesting and compelling ways to tell their stories. When “The Tomorrow War” popped up on my film radar, I expected more of the derivative stuff. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and it turned out to be a nice surprise.
The film begins in an unexpected way. Chris Pratt’s character, Dan Forester, emerges from a kaleidoscopic portal and plummets through the air into a war-torn urban backdrop, complete with burning buildings. As Forester and others fall towards a swimming pool on the top of a high-rise, he manages to maneuver his body into the water; those with him aren’t as fortunate.
A Chance at Greatness
In the past, Forester was a mild-mannered science teacher and former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier. He was somewhat frustrated with his ho-hum existence and felt that he wasn’t living up to his family’s expectations. There’s something missing from his life—a yearning for more, and a sense that he is capable of achieving greater things.Forester and his wife Emmy (Betty Gilpin) are hosting a Christmas party and, as their guests enjoy themselves, Forester is notified that he has been passed over for the dream research job he’d applied for. It’s a crushing blow, but he soldiers on. One evening, he settles in on the couch with Emmy and their precocious daughter Muri (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
Suddenly, the game is interrupted by the intrusion of an estimated 60 armed insurgents who drop onto the field from a time travel portal. Their leader, Lt. Hart (Jasmine Mathews), states that “we are you from 30 years in the future. We are fighting a war. … Our enemy is not human … and we are losing.”
It is soon revealed that the world of the future is faced by a savage alien menace, which has decimated the world’s human population. Although the world’s military forces were already sent into the future to combat this nefarious threat, only a small fraction survived.
Classic Themes With a New Twist
Although this film’s setup isn’t exactly new, it combines the best elements of speculative fiction films that have come before it. It features the “humans-unifying-against-an-alien-invasion” theme that made “Independence Day” a massive hit and the highest-grossing film of 1996. It also evokes the 1984 cyberpunk extravaganza “The Terminator,” utilizing time travel to send people back and forth between the past and future.
“The Tomorrow War” not only blends some of the best elements of great films that came before it, but also builds upon them. The film manages to have a fresh perspective. It offers a positive theme of unity, with humans of all nations, ethnicities, and skin colors banding together to rise up against a common enemy that threatens their combined existence. Viewers can draw several modern parallels.
The action sequences are some of the most impressive seen in recent films. For example, Forester and his team of relatively inexperienced resistance fighters are sent on their first mission and encounter the alien threat for the first time. The build-up to this scene evokes the tension of the “Alien” franchise. This tension crescendos into a series of fierce skirmishes that will have you rooting for the team just to survive the overwhelming onslaught. I literally had my mouth agape by its chaotic conclusion.
The performances are skillfully handled across the board, with several standouts. J.K. Simmons delivers a heartfelt performance as Dan’s father, James Forester, whom he doesn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with. Edwin Hodge is also a joy to watch as Dorian, a seasoned soldier who has become somewhat jaded by his many combat deployments. Sam Richardson adds plenty of laughs as reluctant hero Charlie.
“The Tomorrow War” may not break new ground thematically, but it doesn’t need to. With its nuanced storytelling, solid acting performances, and spectacular action scenes, it stands on its own merits.
Additionally, it offers positive messages about family reconciliation and shared humanity, which are especially relevant in these tumultuous yet hopeful times.
