Pratt portrays the average guy who is thrust into futuristic heroism in a film that tests his charisma as part the “Jurassic World”, and Marvel’s Chris contingent. Pratt plays Dan Forester, an ex-science teacher and veteran who is shocked when soldiers from 2051 arrive to announce that the aliens have invaded Earth.
These monsters are relentless, fast and ugly. Humanity’s future requires warriors from the past to help them fight. The plan results in the creation of a worldwide draft that shakes the social order. Dan is swept up by Earth’s anxious defenders.
Dan is presented as a father-husband with dreams of doing more. He tells his daughter in one of many lines that’s a bit too obvious — “I am meant for something special with my lifetime.” It will take a Hail Mary pass from the scientist he meets in the future, played here by Yvonne Strahovski by “The Handmaid’s Tale’s”, to find the way to eradicate the alien threat before it’s too much.
From a Zach Dean script, “Tomorrow War” is directed by Chris McKay (“The Lego Batman Movie”), but it’s difficult to call it an original concept since it heavily draws from many other movies. It also features the martial qualities of “Aliens”.
It has a lot of heart. Dan is driven to save his child’s future and eventually needs to seek out help from his estranged dad, played by J.K. Simmons.
Although “Veep”‘s Sam Richardson is the most notable member of the supporting cast, his contributions are minimal. However, the action is abundant, large-scale, and sometimes quite gruesome. It’s also marred by its familiarity with familiar ingredients that are associated with this type of monster mash.
It is important to mention that the narrative twist occurs in the last 30 minutes. This is quite absurd even by time-travel standards, which are usually graded on a curve.
Amazon paid a large sum to stream “Tomorrow War” as it did for Paramount’s “Coming 2 America.” It’s an indication of both the film’s theatrical prospects (not very good) and the increased attention that a scifi movie with Pratt is likely to attract.
The film’s promotion rivals that of a theatrical blockbuster. “Tomorrow War” is primarily useful as ammunition for streaming wars. The movie’s star is left in an uninspired place and time.
