MOVIE REVIEW – In this sci-fi film, The Tomorrow War, released this month on Amazon Prime Video, a horde of soldiers arrive from 2051 to disrupt the present and announce that humanity is about to lose a war against aliens. Not groundbreaking but enjoyable.

Have you ever wanted to travel to the future? The Tomorrow War is chaotic and apocalyptic. An alien invasion is decimating humanity. Humans call on their parents and grandparents to help them.

Soldiers from the future

Dan (Chris Pratt), a former military man turned science teacher, has just missed out on a great career opportunity. But he soon has another problem to deal with: soldiers from the future burst in to warn the world that humanity is about to disappear in a war with aliens. Military personnel, and soon civilians, are sent 30 years into the future to try to reverse the trend. They are sent to the front line for seven days and return to the present if they are still alive. This is no easy task, given the demonic ferocity of these half-Alien, half-zerg creatures that tear humans apart. This is what Pratt will discover when his turn comes. And with the help of a scientist, he will try to save the world, as he promised his daughter before he left.

Tomorrow is a long way off

Directed by Chris McKay (Lego Batman, the movie), The Tomorrow War is a fast-paced and effective SF action film, if not very original. It’s impossible not to think of Independence Day, Starship Trooper or War of the Worlds when faced with this well-oiled alien invasion that multiplies the conventional scenes. A lack of risk-taking that reminds us that this feature film was originally a blockbuster produced by Paramount that Amazon Prime Video bought for 200 million dollars.

Lukewarm but enjoyable

If the result is a bit lukewarm, we can’t deny ourselves the pleasure. First of all, because everyone is in their place in the cast: Chris Pratt, always ready to play the hero with conviction, the impeccable Yvonne Strahovski, JK Simmons, perfect as a muscular grandpa, or Sam Richardson (Veep) who brings a touch of humour and lightness that is much appreciated in the middle of this butchery. The action sequences are also a good point, notably thanks to the very successful design of the creatures. And the script, despite the aforementioned déjà vu, has the merit of holding its own and delivering its twists with modesty.

In terms of the cinematic proposition, we are indeed left wanting. No shot will enter the pantheon of the genre. The film’s message will not haunt us in our sleepless nights. And no one will start a petition to ask for a sequel or a director’s cut. The Tomorrow War is clearly in the category of the family-friendly sci-fi blockbuster, a pure piece of entertainment that doesn’t pretend to be anything else and achieves its goal rather well.

-Zardoz-