By Paul Hall
Time travel, alien attacks, explosions — those of us who enjoy movies know there is nothing better than a film that melds those three together. And with the new film The Tomorrow War on Amazon Prime Video, we can fight the aliens from our own home today.
It’s 2022 and high school science teacher Dan Forester (Chris Pratt) is having a party when a military force shocks the world by emerging through a portal into the middle of a soccer match on live television. The group discloses that they are from the future and mankind will die in 30 years if we don’t act immediately. The war of tomorrow begins now.
The dire news delivered from the force of tomorrow has erupted into worldwide unrest and anxiety. Students don’t care, violence runs rampant and everyone is dreading the future that looks like it does not exist.
One element of the new war is the institution of a worldwide draft to bring fighters from today to reinforce those who are falling in the future. No one knows when they’ll be called or even what criteria is needed to make the jump forward in time to fight.
Dan, with former military experience, would seem to be the perfect candidate, but that is not even remotely on his mind when he gets the notification to report to his local office. He will join so many others and be sent to fight to save us all, but will it even matter?
In the future, the forces are sent to battle against the “white spikes,” aliens who seem to defeat anything in their way. Finding the weakness of the alien force is the primary goal. It is the only way to prevent tomorrow, today.
The Tomorrow War excites the senses. It quickly jumps from setup to action and the meaty part of the film. The film knows where its bread is buttered, but doesn’t forget that to be truly successful it needs a subplot or two along the way.
Pratt is the perfect person to play a man who just wants the best for his family. He’s funny and sensitive, tough and deadly serious during his moments as Dan. His scenes with the amazing J.K. Simmons, who plays his father, are one-on-one relationship moments rarely found in action extravaganzas.
At his core, Dan wants to be everything his father wasn’t. And Pratt is able to create Dan’s character as an amazing leader among those he encounters today and tomorrow.
Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Jasmine Mathews and Yvonne Strahovski deliver solid performances, and Strahovski truly stands out in her role.
Sure, I would have loved to see this on a giant screen, as that would only help to magnify the enormity of the jump from today to tomorrow and the battle that exists, but being able to watch this in your own home allows you to explore the enormity of your home entertainment system.
Although the film is a touch long, it contains many elements that are enjoyable. I just decided to enjoy the ride from today to the future, and back again. As with many battles both personal and beyond, tomorrow is today and the battle begins now. Let’s win.
Paul’s Grade: B
The Tomorrow War
Rated PG-13
Stars: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons
Director: Chris McKay