The Tomorrow War

There's a lot that appears generic about The Tomorrow War on the surface. 

Its poster.

A man in front staring into the distance holding his weapon. 

A mysterious, possibly dumb name. 

Some random  sci-fi looking portal element. 

And even a white guy named Chris!

By and large, this is a film that should be forgettable and generic, especially considering that Amazon picked it up and it's skipping theaters (which isn't always a sign of poor quality these days). 

So it came as a decent surprise that I actually really dug The Tomorrow War. 

Strangely, it is generic and forgettable in certain ways, but it's also a well done film. It's a movie that mimics Independence Day, but without feeling like a ripoff or a very s****y sequel. The concept - which I'll explain in a moment - was also unique and straightforward, but very cool and offers up a lot of sci-fi possibilities (I even got some cool ideas of my own from it that I jotted down). 

The Tomorrow War begins by introducing us to Chris Pratt's Dan Forester which, is probably the most generic name they could come up with. Very quickly, an internationally televised soccer match is interrupted by an odd portal from which several soldiers emerge, claiming they're from 30 years in the future. They've returned back here because in the future, we're losing a war with an alien species...badly. The film covers the next few months in a montage sort-of-way explaining how there's a worldwide draft, sending soldiers and civilians alike into the future, very few of which come back. I won't spoil any reveals, but I was left satisfied with how the entirety of the plot plays out, and there's some surprising emotional depth to it in the backhalf. I wasn't convinced it would take advantage of the premise initially (and there are still some cool ideas I have), but overall I'd say the setup has payoff and doesn't leave you gasping, "How could they have not thought of XYZ!?"

"How is this any different from normal Florida?"

"Ok Chris, we need you to press your
 jaw and flex hard AF!"

I was also nervous as it got underway that this would be one of those films that should have been rated R. It's a war movie, it's got aliens...there should be blood and guts and violence. Luckily, I was surprised to see it push its PG-13 rating quite far (probably the hardest PG-13 I've seen in a while) and there's enough blood and gore - even involving humans - that I wasn't missing an R-rating much at all. In this way, it reminded me of PG-13 films of old that felt to be designed as R-ratings, and then cut back in a couple scenes to get the wider audiences versus being designed as PG-13 from the start. A weird thing to dedicate a paragraph to, I know, but it's a big plus for the film and helps it stand out. In this same vein, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the creature design which I found absolutely incredible. Sometimes once you finally see the monster or alien, it's disappointing because it's not all that scary and/or it feels like you've seen it before. These aliens are terrifying, with both arms and tentacles...but I don't want to say much more. Just believe me when I say they make a menacing foe that goes a long way to adding tension. 

There's also a delightful cast, all of which who feel excited to be in the film. Chris Pratt obviously brings his usual charm and positive energy, while also being able to hit some emotional beats that elevate the film's source material. There's also a jacked J.K. Simmons and Sam Richardson, the latter of whom brings well-timed and executed humor (I still believe his character is one of the best things about Veep). Lastly, there's Yvonne Strahovski, whom I adore from her Chuck days, and the bond she has with Pratt is on-point, again leading to some earned emotional beats. She's an underutilized gem in my opinion so to see her in something this big is exciting. 

Give Yvonne more work!!

I don't feel like I need to say much more about The Tomorrow War because honestly, it just works. There are little things like some weak special effects, some pacing issues, and some generic war-based action...but at the end of the day I'm walking away impressed. It has a great energy, a very cool concept that it leans into without getting overly complicated, a stellar cast, and is entertaining throughout. I would have very much liked to see it on the big screen, but I'll settle for it free in my living room as well. 

CONS

• Moments where special effects are noticeable
• Slogs in a few parts and has some pacing issues...the ending feels like it wraps up quickly
• Generic original score
• Action is good, but I'm not sure it ever reaches great

PROS

• Very cool concept the film takes advantage of without overdoing it. I was inspired with a few ideas of my own!
• Pushes the PG-13 rating, much for the benefit of the film
• Pratt can obviously lead a film and he's effective here both in the action elements and emotional ones
• Surprising emotional depth, largely because of the plot, but also because of the bond Pratt and Strahovski are able to form
• Incredible creature design. The White Spikes (dumb name) are truly menacing
• Mostly good action with mostly good special effects
• Well timed humor from Richardson
• Entertaining throughout; it's a great summer movie

Rath's Review Score | 8/10