Review of The Tomorrow War

by Dan Watt

The movie starts off with Chris Pratt’s character, Dan Forester, waiting to find out if he has a new teaching job.  Everything is normal until individuals from the future show up.

The script by Zach Dean (Deadfall, 24 Hours To Live) is about a future war with aliens but with a twist. 

I really enjoyed the human reaction to everything that goes on in The Tomorrow War.  The interaction between the characters reminds me of George Lucas’s 1978 Star Wars (Episode IV).  In Star Wars the characters are so endearing because they act like we would to situations.  Dan’s interaction with his wife and attitude towards his father is down to Earth and real.  I also enjoyed Dan’s interaction with his daughter(s).  The casting for this film was right on.  Everyone makes the scenes believable. 

Unlike the screenplay by Edward Neumeier (Robocop) for Starship Troopers (based on the book of the same name by Robert Heinlein) the social and political comments aren’t commercials or newsreels but ones we make to each other daily.  In The Tomorrow War lack of faith in world leaders and NATO is brought forth by individual comments.

The battle scenes are similar to Ridley Scott’s Blackhawk Down.  The director, Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie) makes sure you’re right there. 

A pivotal realization in the movie made me think of Neill Blomkamp (Elysium) and Terri Tatchell’s (Chappie) screenplay for District 9.  And for anyone who has read Liu Cixin’s Dark Forest, the movie suggests another terrifying possibility.   

The Tomorrow War gives me hope that Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War can finally be made.