The Tomorrow War is set in an escapist future with aliens trying to erase the human race. Sounds familiar? It is, too. The Tomorrow War is a typical algorithmic summer sci-fi film. It has a looming apocalypse, a common man who steps up to save the world, lots of aliens, is set in 2051, and above all, has a superstar backing the entire project. Just that this time it’s not Tom Cruise or Dwayne Johnson, it is Chris Pratt.
To be fair, Chris is not bad. He is the wannabe funny guy trying to be the saviour of humans. But isn’t he that in all his recent films? There is nothing new that Chris is bringing to the table with The Tomorrow War, and as a fan, you would feel let down.
Among the supporting cast, Sam Richardson is the lone one who stands out. His comic timing is fantastic, and he is the only one trying to give some respite to the otherwise drab dialogues. JK Simmons seems to have lost oodles of weight to fit into the role, and while that’s commendable, his lesser screen time hurts. But even in that minimal time, he manages to show his mettle and those are the very few sparks that shine through this extremely dull script.
The writing and direction are what hurt the film the most. The script by Zach Dean is the soft spot. It is so paltry and it seems like the action director has also written the screenplay for film, as that’s what we see in the movie — action sequences. However, the only good thing about the movie is the VFX, which makes the action sequences look grand.
Director Chris Mckay hasn’t said NO to anything, and that spoils the fun. Seeing the substandard direction, you are left wondering why the characterisation was so sloppy and uneven, and the plot taking such bizarre and ridiculous turns. While there are films that try to portray daftness as funny, The Tomorrow War tries to put forth some of the daftest of plots and expects the audience to be okay with it in all seriousness. The turns in the screenplay don’t work either, as there are instances which you are just about starting to enjoy, and suddenly the entire focus shifts to something different.
In closing, The Tomorrow War may have been a decent watch with the heavy action sequences if it was a theatrical release, but on a TV screen, however big it may be, it’s not much fun. The story is non-existent, and the screenplay is wafer-thin with just action sequences sewed together one after the other. Watching this will remind you of far superior sci-fi films like Edge Of Tomorrow, Alien and even, Independence Day, as The Tomorrow War seems to have taken some bit of inspiration from each one of them. So, unless you are a Chris Pratt fan, this film is TOTALLY AVOIDABLE. I am going with 1 star.
