Review: TOMORROWLAND Is An Awe-Inspiring Sci-Fi Adventure
Disney’s Tomorrowland was one of my most anticipated films of the year, and I’m happy to say that it exceeded my expectations. Those expectations were set pretty high because of the talented individuals that brought the film to life, and the subject matter that it involved. I had a blast watching Tomorrowland, it was an incredibly fun sci-fi adventure film that anyone and everyone can enjoy. On top of that, it's an original story, which is something that Hollywood is lacking these days.
Before I get into the review, I want to say that the Disney marketing team did a hell of a job promoting this film. They managed to keep all of the best and most surprising elements of the story out of the trailers, clips, and TV spots. So even if you've watched everything that's been released up until this point, when you go to the movie, you’re going to be treated with plenty of fun surprises. To preserve that secrecy, this review is completely spoiler-free.
The film was directed by Brad Bird from a script written by Bird and Damon Lindelof. Bird is the man behind such films as The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. I enjoyed all of these films, and The Iron Giant is one of my favorites of all time. One of the things that I loved most about Tomorrowland was that the director brought in that same spirit and tone of The Iron Giant to the story and visuals. Only this time around, it was all told in live action.
Bird’s directing style is sensational in almost every way, but especially when it comes to the characters and action. There are a few incredibly fun action sequences in the movie that were awesomely shot and choreographed. A couple of them involve one of my favorite characters in the film, a young girl named Athena, who has barely been teased in the trailers. She’s played by Raffey Cassidy, and she’s quite a nimble kickass firecracker. I think audiences are going to love her.
I enjoyed all of the characters that the film introduced to us. George Clooney plays Frank Walker, a genius who used to live in Tomorrowland; Britt Robertson plays Casey, a young girl who is invited to Tomorrowland; Hugh Laurie takes on the role of Nix, the man that oversees Tomorrowland; Tim McGraw is Casey’s dad Eddie, an ex-NASA engineer; and then there’s Thomas Robinson playing a young Frank, an imaginative kid with ambitions to make the world a better place…with a jetpack. All of the actors in the movie did a tremendous job in the roles they played, and they all fit their characters perfectly.
The visuals used in the film to bring the world of Tomorrowland to life were nothing short of stunning. I loved the retro 1960s futuristic look of the world. All of those classic sci-fi pulp comics and magazines that we've seen over the years have been brought to life in a way we’ve never seen before, and it is glorious.
The film just seemed to carry this nostalgic feel throughout the whole thing. For me it was like seeing everything I grew up enjoying brought to life: from the type of films I watched as a kid, the toys I collected, the books and comics that I read, and of course all of those awesome memories of going to Disneyland. It was as if some of the best parts of my imagination came to life on the big screen, which was the main power behind this movie for me.
As much as I enjoyed the movie, there was one thing that bugged me. There were three different movies loaded into this one film. Bird did a solid job bringing it all together, but there were plot and story elements that I would have loved to see expanded on because there was some really fascinating stuff that they played with. I just wish they would have been able to play with it more. In all honesty this movie could have been a trilogy spanning the course of a century. So I guess what I’m saying is, I wish I could have seen more, which might be more of a compliment than an issue.
This is a must-watch movie for any Disney geek that who loved going to Tomorrowland or the Epcot Center at the theme parks and wished that they were real places that existed. It’s for anyone who is a big dreamer with a huge imagination. The film is also for those who are looking to be inspired. I’m excited to take my family to go see this movie because I know they’re going to love it. It’s an incredibly fun ride that I think many of you will have a blast watching. The movie comes out this weekend, so make sure to check it out!