After a full year where big movies packed up their stuff and ran away, we have finally caught back up to them. For us, we get to see a blockbuster film, but the films themselves are entering a whole new world. With The Tomorrow War, a big-budget science fiction action epic, instead of seeing it on the big screen, it’ll be streaming on Amazon. Now we can get our giant spectacles at home, but does it make for the same experience? For The Tomorrow War, it certainly does not. However, I have to say, I freakin love this movie. This is one of the most kick-ass, epic films I have seen in a while and I was smiling ear to ear the entire time.
The Tomorrow War has just an incredible concept. One day in 2021 people from the year 2051 travel back in time to warn the present of a coming war against aliens they are currently losing. They are low on resources and soldiers and are searching for an answer. The solution is for the world governments to draft people to travel to the future to fight in this war. Dan Forester (Chris Pratt) gets drafted and has to leave his wife and daughter to enter into a war and be mankind’s last hope. This idea is wild and I loved it. It has everything you want from a sci-fi spectacle firing on all cylinders. Aliens? Check. Time travel? Check. A future war? Check. Charismatic movie star? Big green checkmark. All of these factors come together with no weak point and create what might be the freshest sci-fi epic since Edge of Tomorrow, minus the Groundhog Day stuff. It has been a long time since a film can just sneak up like this and surprise the hell out of you, but this one certainly did.
To build a new and believable sci-fi world is tough to do, and I give director Chris McKay major credit for how he did it here. This world in the film just feels completely lived in. The concepts are not completely far-fetched to the point of unbelievable, and they keep this large story relatively grounded. The idea of people traveling back in time to the past to recruit people to fight a war in the future is awesome. On top of that, they throw in a nice little wrinkle into the story that changes the dynamics between two characters, and it makes you invest in them even more. The design of the aliens is also really extraordinary. They have these cool tails that shoot out spikes and armor all over their bodies besides their stomach and neck. There was just a lot of thought put into this world and they very carefully made it all come together. By the end of the film, you’re happy with what you’ve experienced and want more from the world. It all feels lived in as opposed to some generic science-fiction extravaganza.
While the world is incredible in The Tomorrow War, the characters are really what puts everything over the top. Chris Pratt is now a bonafide movie star. There is no arguing it anymore. So you throw him in a giant alien movie, and it’s no surprise he works. Is he the best part of the movie? No, but he gets the job done and is just charismatic and charming enough for you to care for the character. Remember when those pictures of J.K. Simmons came out of him looking jacked and we all thought it was for Justice League? Turns out, it was for The Tomorrow War. He plays this conspiracy theorist dad and it awesome at it. A really pleasant surprise here is Yvonne Strahovski who plays a much bigger role than you initially think. She reminds me of Emily Blunt from Edge of Tomorrow, and this is truly a star-making performance. The rest of the cast is really solid as well and helps contribute to this entertaining film.
All in all, I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this film. The Tomorrow War has everything a science fiction fan can ask for. Action, heart, and aliens. Chris Pratt is the right movie star for this type of vehicle, and I was enthralled by it all from start to finish. My only gripe would be I wish I could’ve seen this in a theater. We have to settle for Amazon, but it is certainly worth it regardless.
The Verdict