‘The Tomorrow War’ – Review
It’s blockbuster season, and kicking up the adrenaline switch is director Chris McKay and Hollywood superstar Chris Pratt in The Tomorrow War; an all-out alien action extravaganza and trust me when I say that THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME!
When time travelers arrive from 2051 to deliver an urgent message: 30 years in the future mankind is losing a war against a deadly alien species. The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians to be transported to the future and join the fight. Determined to save the world for his daughter, Dan Forester (Chris Pratt) teams up with a brilliant scientist (Yvonne Strahovski) and his estranged father (J.K. Simmons) to rewrite the planet’s fate.
You may think you know what a humans vs aliens movie looks like, but trust me, you’ve never seen anything like or as cool as, The Tomorrow War. Director Chris McKay changes things up in a very big way in this all-out machismo action movie, and trust us when we say that this is one hell of a watch. Right out of the gate, McKay builds speed as he tells the story of everyman Dan Forestor (Chris Pratt), a former Army Ranger turned husband, father and school teacher who desires something better in his life. But when the future comes calling, and humanity is pulled into the brink of extinction, Dan has to mount up and go to war one more time…and the result is epic action filmmaking at its most gung-ho.
McKay grabs your attention right from the start and throws one hell of a movie at audiences. Mixing together this tale of family drama with the high-speed kinetic pace of an all-out alien invasion movie makes for a popcorn fun watch and there’s plenty of BOOM on display as well. The Tomorrow War is a movie that moves fast and with the mounting pressure of an extinction-level event, everything is all on the line. McKay’s direction keeps the action tight, and he uses action as narrative to show us Forester’s desperate fight to save his family and the world from a savage alien threat.
This threat you might ask is the White Spikes. A parasitic alien species that can best be described as an insectoid-spider-wasp bug creature from the deepest depths of your nightmares, and prepare yourself to be freaked the hell out by these new monsters. To take down the White Spikes, Chris Pratt’s Forester and his team of newly drafted recruits are armed to the teeth and for those who are wanting to experience the taste of gunmetal, well, you’ve come to the right place. The action of The Tomorrow War is INSANE, and it keeps you guessing from scene to scene as Forester goes to war against the White Spikes, and this of course sends the audiences adrenaline sky high!
Mounting up after receiving the call is Hollywood superstar Chris Pratt as Dan Forestor, a former Army Ranger turned family man and high school science teacher who seems to be stuck in his life. But when trouble calls he rolls up his sleeves and gets to work and Pratt makes for an A+ action hero! What’s fun about seeing Pratt in the role of Forester is that he brings a real everyman quality to this character. Yes, he jumps out of Black Hawks and shoots off .50 cal machine guns, but all through this, you know that he’s never an out and out superman. He bleeds and is kicked around, but he never stops bringing the fight, and the role is a perfect fit for Pratt’s evolving acting presence.
Also of major importance to the film is Yvonne Strahovski as Muri, a future scientist who is leading the war against the White Spikes and who has a special connection to Pratt’s Forestor. As a woman on the front line, you feel Muri’s struggles and pain and with the mounting pressure of trying to defeat the White Spikes, you can feel the clock moving against her. Strahovski gives Muri tremendous grit and courage and she certainly holds her own behind the trigger of an M4 and jumps headfirst into the fight against this alien horde.
In terms of a filmgoing experience, The Tomorrow War is a piece of cinema that keeps you on edge from beginning to end. From the start, McKay lays out just how urgent the actions of this narrative are, and the resulting cinematic presentation is a film that I can say is one of the most original pieces of science-fiction action that I’ve seen in a very long time. Through nerve biting suspense and massive wartime set pieces, McKay pulls you into one hell of a piece of action cinema and fans of 1990s era action cinema will absolutely be primed for this one.
But in addition to big explosions and do or die battles against an alien invasion, McKay, Pratt, Strahovski and the entire team behind The Tomorrow War also showcase a gripping story of family, responsibility and the presence of time. And there’s plenty of emotion to pull at your heartstrings with this one. This deep meaning of the importance of family and doing everything you can to protect the ones you love is certain to give you all the feels and makes you think about issues of time, loss, family and mortality….all while watching Chris Pratt shoot the hell out of plenty of bug-like aliens!
From start to finish The Tomorrow War is the complete and total package. This film is just so freaking cool on every single level and if you’re looking for one hell of a thrill ride then you need to sit down and watch this one.
Image: Amazon Studios
