The Tomorrow War Review: An Exciting Summer Action Movie You Can Stream At Home

Release date: July 2, 2021
Running time: 140 minutes
Directed By: Michael Gracey
Starring: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Edwin Hodge, Jasmine Mathews, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Keith Powers

In The Tomorrow War, the world is stunned when a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: Thirty years in the future mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians from the present to be transported to the future and join the fight. Among those recruited is high school teacher and family man Dan Forester (Chris Pratt). Determined to save the world for his young daughter, Dan teams up with a brilliant scientist (Yvonne Strahovski) and his estranged father (J.K. Simmons) in a desperate quest to rewrite the fate of the planet.

The Tomorrow War has the feel of a big budget summer action movie and it shows.  The effects are over the top, the encounters are frenzied, there is a healthy portion of CG (though it is very well done CG), and the plot tugs at the heartstrings without making a lot of sense.  The film has an all star cast in an adventure that spans time, with Chris Pratt playing the role he normally plays; a loveable, capable, and slightly flawed character.  Forester is a brilliant scientist and a good soldier, a needed combination for this group.  And although Pratt is the unquestioned star in this film, I really liked Strahovski as the brilliant scientist.  It is always wonderful to see strong female characters in film but she also threaded that line of being smart, tough, and also vulnerable at times.  However, her vulnerability did not manifest in a way that hurt her character; rather it was that she was able to be both a strong character in this film but also show her emotion when needed.  And J.K. Simmons is great as always, though we don't get to see him nearly enough.  

The story of The Tomorrow War is a long one, but there is a lot going on here.  I really loved how the film started with a big event to draw the characters in.  And there were a lot of small touches in this initial part to both introduce you to the world but also lend an air of authenticity.  For one, the film takes place in the winter, and it made a point of showing the upcoming world cup, which for the first time is taking place during the winter.  And after the world building, we do get into some of the action sequences.  A film about a future war against a terrible threat, the movie needs to have good action.  And thankfully, the film has some really intense warfare.  It is heavily CGed, but well done CG.  You won't suspend your disbelief, but you can at least enjoy it without distraction.  It is about what you would expect from a big budget summer action film, so make sure to have a nice screen and some booming sound when you watch it.  Speaking of the sound, the film also has a fantastic Atmos soundtrack, which enhances these fight scenes as well.  

The Tomorrow War, however, despite being a film about going to the future, does feel a lot like a film from the past.  The movie has a lot of similarities with Edge of Tomorrow, with a similar feel to the story, to the bad guys, and to the overall threat to the world.  It is not a bad thing as Edge of Tomorrow is one of my favorite action movies, but it also feels like The Tomorrow War does not do everything as well.  Additionally, because of the summer action nature of the film, the characters make some pretty bad decisions, yet a lot of convenient things happen to keep the story going along.  But then again, the film is about time traveling soldiers so you would be forgiven for simply ignoring some of the plot parts that don't seem as realistic.  And overall, The Tomorrow War is an entertaining summer action movie that you can stream at home (but it would be worth it to see it in theaters).

The Tomorrow War has the cast, explosive effects, and exciting story that tugs at your heartstrings; it is an entertaining future summer action movie that you can enjoy today! 

Watch it.

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The Tomorrow War is available on Amazon Prime Video on July 2, 2020.