You may hear a bit of negative about the film The Tomorrow War, but if you are a fan of action adventure and sci-fi do not be discouraged by what’s being said. Some are saying it’s too long, others are hung up on comparing past films like Alien, Edge of Tomorrow, Starship Troopers and Terminator Salvation, and I agree that this film has some of what they have to offer. I actually think the idea behind this fantasy however is spot on edge of your seat bodacious. It starts out with action and continues to the amazing wild and frenzied ending. If you like any of the aforementioned films, you are the target audience, so get ready to experience something very cool fellow adventure lovers.
With the annihilation of the Earth’s population by alien White Spikes invaders in the year 2057 inevitable, a doorway to the future opens for assistance from the current 2022 armies of the world. Called into action by a united world government, former Vietnam veteran Dan Forester (Chris Pratt) gets drafted into an elite group of soldiers. He along with many others will be sent through a wormhole into the future to fight. But, it’s more than battles Forester will experience when the meets someone from his past that may have a formula to defeat the White Spikes.
The war begins with fierce fighting from both sides as the Queen of the White Spikes leads her battalion of bloodthirsty offspring against the Earthlings. Director Chris McKay opens his film with a quick exciting scene to give his audience a taste of what’s to come. He then slows down the action to introduce Dan Forester, his family and then draws you into the reports of the war taking place in the future. While it’s a regular ploy in a lot of the current films being released in the past couple of years, it does work here, providing a semblance of what “normal” people are experiencing in the year 2022. From this point on the action becomes relentless and non-stop with scenes of electrifying fighting and a lot of devastation.
Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World) does his normal best as the typical military veteran caught up in saving the planet. As Forrester, he’s conflicted on why he was chosen, but as the film goes on we are lead into a storyline involving his father (J.K. Simmons) and other keys to his connection. I like Pratt in this role, and it’s much like that of Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow. He’s a hero, but one who will have to prove himself on the battlefield against overwhelming odds.
The Tomorrow War has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language and some suggestive references. Even with the sometimes gory scenes, most young gamers should be able to sit through the 2 hours plus thriller along with the super sci-fi adventure fans that should enjoy the wild ride. The film is now available on Amazon Prime Video.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Edwin Hodge, Jasmine Mathews, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Keith Powers
Directed by: Chris McKay
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language and some suggestive references.
Running Time: 2 hrs. 20 min.
Opening Date: July 2, 2021
Distributed by: Amazon Studios
Released in: Amazon Prime Video
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
