I think most people didn't really know what "Tomorrowland" was. The trailers never gave us a full picture of the film's plot so we were left to wonder what it was going to be about. But we knew a few facts before going to see the film. Okay, Brad Bird, who's done nothing but great work, is directing... Good. He's co-writing the screenplay with Damon Lindelof... Again, good. George Clooney is starring in the film... Once again, good. So now that the film is out, does it measure up to our expectations?
"Tomorrowland" stars George Clooney, Hugh Laurie and Britt Robertson and is loosely based off of Walt Disney's original vision of a future utopia. Without giving away too many important plot details, the story follows a young girl, Casey Newman (Britt Robertson), who has to find Frank Walker (George Clooney) to go to a mysterious futuristic world called Tomorrowland, which she was able to access by touching a special pin that was mysteriously given to her. Now, the film's plot naturally leads to many creative visuals and intriguing, almost thought provoking, moments that I found very interesting. Off the bat, Brad Bird continues to be a great visual director. Like most of his other films, "Tomorrowland" has a compelling visual narrative with characters you grow to love instantly.
Speaking of its interesting characters, let's start with George Clooney as an old, grizzled inventor named Frank Walker. It was kind of fresh to see Clooney play a non-playboy, non-cool type of character for once. I was, at first, frightened that Clooney would go back to the usual cool-guy shtick that he usually does, especially because this was a Disney film, but I was pleasantly surprised with his performance here. He was stubborn, old, cranky man that didn't take orders from anybody. But underneath his cold exterior was something lying underneath that was, as the audience, had to figure out throughout the film, making him a more complex character. Clooney gave a lot of depth to the role and shined brightly as the star of the film.
But no matter how much Clooney shined, this was Britt Robertson's film. Although Clooney got top billing, it was Robertson who had to carry the entire weight of the film on her shoulders and, boy, did she deliver. Robertson, as Casey Newman, was able to balance the drama, humor and action in the film flawlessly and was one of the film's highlights. She was a quirky, tough, rule-breaking, relatable visionary who's positivity made her such an endearing presence in the film. Her quick remarks and clever banter against the cranky Clooney was definitely fun to watch. She was also able to handle the emotional moments in the film beautifully. This is definitely a star-making movie for Robertson.
Yes, Robertson was outstanding and Clooney is good as always, but by far, the one single actor that stole the entire movie was newcomer Raffey Cassidy as Athena. This is a future star right here. Like Robertson, "Tomorrowland" is a star-making movie for her and will propel her miles ahead in her career. Her charm, wit and beauty won the entire audience over and provided us with some of the best moments in the film. It's hard to have a child actor be one of the major characters in the film, having around equal screen-time as Clooney, but not once was Cassidy annoying or tiresome throughout the entire picture. She was simply outstanding. Hollywood's next young star. I can't really say much about her character because it would definitely be a spoiler for the film but I will say that Cassidy will be getting a lot more calls from other directors after they see "Tomorrowland".
Brad Bird never shies away from intense action scenes and "Tomorrowland" is no different. The action is handled expertly and is thrilling to watch in IMAX. There is a particular scene set in Walker's house that I found very creative. It is clear from the first action sequence that Bird clearly knows what he is doing and understands how to create an engaging and thrilling action set piece. Not once in the film was I bored or rolled my eyes. I sat in my seat at the theater in awe of what I was experiencing. The imagination and creativity in "Tomorrowland" are something only a director like Bird and the magic of Disney could bring us. The screenplay by Lindelof and Bird is very original and is very impressive in a time where every blockbuster film is either a sequel, remake or an adaptation. The only thing remade here are ideas and themes, not exact stories. It is very loosely connected to Walt Disney's vision of future communities like EPCOT but "Tomorrowland" is an entirely new property (although there is a park in Disney World called Tomorrowland).
Bird and Lindelof's ambition and creativity are so good and so praise worthy, that I can forgive and overlook some of the problems the film has. Despite having an extremely strong 1st and 2nd Act, I found the 3rd Act to be, not mediocre, but subpar compared to the rest of the film. The message in the film's climax is one we have heard to death in previous stories but is one I strangely never get sick of. I think it is an important message for people of all ages and, seeing as this is a Disney film, felt appropriate.
"Tomorrowland" is another Disney live-action that soars high beyond what we had expected and delivers great action, great performances and great directing throughout. Brad Bird continues to be one of my favorite directors of this new generation and, even though this film has its flaws, I found myself enjoying "Tomorrowland" for its visuals, its cast, and its ambition. I give the film a solid 8 out of 10.
Go see the film in IMAX, Real-D 3D or in 2D! Critics and audiences have been complaining about lack of original content in Hollywood blockbusters... Well now you got one!
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