'Tomorrowland', Walt Disney Pictures' newest live action science fiction adventure, may not fully live up to the hype, but ultimately it produces highly original content, stunning visuals, and a family friendly film that has just enough entertainment, intrigue, and heart to overlook many of the flaws the movie may present.
This film isn't for everyone. It appears to be designed for audiences of all ages, which it does succeed at several times, but overall it's most likely enjoyable for younger audiences who can ignore certain shortcomings of the film or complaints that older critics and frequent movie viewers may have. It doesn't take a critic to see that the film has an overly complex, uneven, at times disappointing plot, and while the message is well intentioned, the presentation is brought down by a messy delivery of the story.
The above aside, the film has its positives, such as a high quality production value and design, noteworthy special effects, and probably most refreshing of all, it has originality, creativity, and imagination. The film attempts to present a strong message and clear ideas of optimism, innovation, dreaming big, etc. and even goes as far as being preachy to an extent, but unfortunately the overall presentation falls short and is clouded by the narrative. This movie has its funny moments, much like any film, as well as decent acting, a touch of mystery, and a music score that compliments every scene.
In 'Tomorrowland', a curious and hopeful teenager, Casey (Britt Robertson), seeks the help of an inventor, named Frank (George Clooney), to help her travel to and uncover the mysteries of a place somewhere in time and space only known as Tomorrowland, which to them, only exists in their memory. Part of the movie takes place on Earth, while other scenes are shown in the new world they discover. Along with Robertson and Clooney, this futuristic fantasy film also stars Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and more.
Titled, 'Disney Tomorrowland: A World Beyond' in the United Kingdom, 'Tomorrowland' shares the name with the futuristic themed land found at Disney theme parks. Additionally, the screenplay for the film was influenced by Walt Disney's optimistic philosophy of innovation and utopia, like his concept for the planned city of EPCOT in Orlando, FL. Produced and distributed by Disney, the film is directed and co-written by Oscar-winner, Brad Bird (Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol, The Incredibles, Ratatouille), and co-written and produced by Damon Lindelof (Lost, World War Z, Star Trek Into Darkness).
Reviews and opinions of 'Tomorrowland' have been all over the board. The film strives to achieve so much but falls short in several areas. There are clearly ups and downs, hits and misses, and in the end, it comes down to whether or not the good outweighs the bad for you. The story is all over the place, jumping from one thing to another at a fast-pace and is somewhat incoherent as a whole. With all the time traveling, multiple worlds, and flaws in the story, there's just a lot going on, a great deal to keep up with, and a few unanswered questions. And like many films, there is a fair amount of corny and childish material sprinkled on top.
On the other hand, the film does have a lot to offer for fans of the sci-fi fantasy action-adventure genre. For starters, how about smooth, stylish, and thrilling action, playful, cheerful comedy, and breathtaking special effects and visuals. While flawed in its delivery, the film presents a heartfelt, genuine, and sometimes emotional story, and there are numerous praiseworthy, humorous, and more than adequate performances from an acting perspective. Some of my favorite scenes included Robertson or Clooney, such as when Robertson's character occasionally jumps back and forth between worlds – often falling down stairs, landing in the water, running into walls, or ending up in odd places.
Another desirable aspect of 'Tomorrowland' was the originality and uniqueness. While there's a lot we have seen before, there's also a great deal of new content. It's not altogether a typical, formulaic, Hollywood gimmick or spoof film, and aside from its association to Disney, it's not part of a large movie franchise or a sequel to anything. The film is far from perfect, and it may very well fall in line with other young adult films of this genre. But it's still a film I'd experience all over again, if only to try and unravel more of the story and put the pieces fully together.
Rated 3 out of 5 stars.
'Tomorrowland' is rated PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and peril, thematic elements, and language. Running time is 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Hayden Pittman is a special contributor to WFAA.com and a freelance film critic and entertainment writer out of Dallas. He is a film, TV, and sports enthusiast, and when he is not reviewing movies, Hayden works in film production. As an average, passionate film lover who rarely misses a film, his reviews are simple and straightforward. Don't like what he has to say. Let him know at hpittman87@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @HPMoviePitt. Enjoy the movies!
