The Tomorrow War

(Possible spoilers!) Chris McKay's film certainly doesn't escape comparison to the (for me) famed sci-fi film Edge of Tomorrow, with the makers of The Tomorrow War also taking a slight nod in the direction of The Thing and Prometheus. The film's biggest negatives are its overblown running time and the sometimes reprehensibly deadpan build-up of the plot, which goes hand-in-hand with a number of typically American scenes (kids and the next generation being the top, the heroism of ordinary people, the blatant political correctness within the cast, etc.). Yet, I'm willing to rise above these aspects to enjoy the decent load of action and a sci-fi level that definitely had potential, albeit slightly buried by the family-themed dialogue. I liked the look of the aliens, the locations, and one almost comic book-like shot that made me think of 300. If the editing had omitted the unnecessary "weeping scenes", which would have shortened the running time, I would have been comfortable with a higher rating. (07/04/2021)

The trailers didn't do this action sci-fi flick a good service, and even when The Tomorrow War went straight to stream, you kind of assumed that you weren't going to be treated to a quality show. But it turned out unexpectedly well this time. The Tomorrow War is far from perfect, but the two and a quarter hours in front of the TV pass pleasantly quickly. They may be quite blatantly ripping off Edge of Tomorrow, Terminator, Alien, or even The Thing, but who could be mad at them for looking to the best for inspiration? Moreover, after a slow start, Chris McKay hits the gas hard and showers the audience with one action scene after another. In doing so, he makes sure not to dumb down the style and the setting, so after intense fights in the city and one not-quite-successful hunting trip, there's a spectacular shootout that would have been quite fitting for the big screen, and the whole thing is finished off a little differently. And it paces the whole thing well enough for one to overlook that it's pretty much just plain. Chris Pratt may play Star-Lord at first, but once the serious stuff starts happening he puts on a serious face and is quite good at it. The designers went truly bonkers with the monsters and I find myself wanting to watch a few scenes again a few hours after the closing credits. Who would have expected that after the crappy trailers? (07/04/2021)

A strange film indeed. Its better parts felt like a thrilling video game I wished I could control. However, this lack of control took away from the overall impression. The weaker moments felt purely American, with a handful of individuals saving the world in typical fashion, the team composition changing based on current trends. In these weaker moments (well, more than moments...), there was an excess of melodrama and flying over Russia on board a Hercules aircraft. The 90s have long passed, yet here we are, with Americans still saving the world just like they did back then. It's getting a bit repetitive. However, I did appreciate seeing Yvonne Strahovski and Betty Gilpin again, which added a certain spark to the experience. (10/11/2021)

In the first minutes, it looks like an original hybrid of Edge of Tomorrow, Independence Day and some post-apocalypse flick, but in the final reckoning, it's at most an upgraded Battle Los Angeles, and even that I'd rank higher due to the important factor of "great value for money", which definitely doesn't apply to Amazon's creation. That said, the visual effects sequences are fantastic, likewise with the design of the aliens. This being the main reason to watch Tomorrow War, because the script is a patchwork full of illogical moments and clichés, and the casting is also not good. Star Lord shouldn't get too involved in serious roles, because he’s fine when he’s wisecracking, but when the tone gets more serious, he is not so good. (07/13/2021)

In 2021, these alien derivatives may only entertain bacteria and other single-celled organisms. If it wasn’t for the bombastic CGI here and there, it would have nothing. And Chris Pratt's dumb attempts at expressing deeper emotions are quite comical. As Star-Lord he's fine, his awkwardness doesn't matter there, but otherwise he’s very far from a character actor. (07/05/2021)