Tomorrowland Review

In a time when majority of the movies that come out during the Summer blockbuster season are high-octane action flicks, sometimes there is that one lone wolf that manages to make us sit up and take nice with a big wide smile on our faces. In a time when movies predominantly showcase destruction and bloodhsed either in a subtle or excessive manner, there is that one film that springs up the message of hope to its potential. 'Tomorrowland' does that job pretty well. Well, to a relative extent - YES.

The Plot:

After an obscure prologue by  Frank Walker (George Clooney) in which he addresses the audience, we see him narrate about his experiences as a kid to the New York World's Fair of 1964. At this point, we see the young Frank (Thomas Robinson) showcase his carefully-crafted yet failed jet pack to a British super-scientist David Nix (Hugh Laurie). Nix brushes it off saying it doesn't work and moves ahead. This is when he meets a mysterious girl Athena (Raffety Cassidy) who gives him a badge that will transport him to another parallel universe.

Frank decides to go into a ride and is taken underground into a sub-level where he's transported to a highly-futuristic place where he gets a glimpse of the future; the real future - the "Tomorrowland". And, that's when we're brought back to the present day where we see a Florida teen interrupting Frank to tell the story from there on. We then get to an insight into Casey Newton (Britt Robertson), the daughter of a NASA engineer who sabotages the site of NASA rockets so that her father won't go out of work. During one such act, she gets arrested for her vandalism and is then bailed out by her father. Whilst then, she's collecting her belongings at the police station, she comes across a certain pin. This 1964 World’s Fair pin unknown to Britt transports her to an utopia every time touches it. Realizing this is beyond this world of ours, she decides to find out how much ever she can about the pin and she does so. To a certain extent.

Does she accomplish what she sets out to? What happens when she tries to get to this utopian futuristic place? What is it about that pin that keeps it a major element throughout the story? Does the pin have more to it than meets the eye? At what point do they meet Frank and under what circumstances? Is Frank the same dreamy-eyed kid even in his adulthood or has "time" changed his perception about the world and everything that exists in reality? Who is this Athena? What is doing here in our world in the first place? All these questions practically form the crux and story of 'Tomorrowland'.

It's all ballistic fun as the trio escape a hunt from futuristic robots out to kill them taking them across to Paris within minutes and the shooting out into space on a vintage rocket that pops out of nowhere below the Eiffel Tower and back to earth to take crack open a barrier in space and take them into the place they've fought so hard to get to - 'Tomorrowland'. What happens next when they do reach 'Tomorrowland'? Is there a global catastrophe in hindsight that is being said as WILL happen? These are some questions for which the answers need to be truly 'seen' rather than us giving it out here on our review.

For all the mystery in this film, a big budget original film in recent times, 'Tomorrowland' gives us the right dosage of what we want to see irrespective of the few inconsistencies here and there. However, it is the director's clever imagination that conquers us all.

The Positives:

This is primarily a kid-centric movie. That being said, this movie does well to capture the attention of an adult too. Director Brad Bird who's given us hits like 'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol', 'The Iron Giant', The Incredibles' and 'Ratatouille' to name a few does well with 'Tomorrowland' too. His biggest strength in the film being able to hold the attention of the audience and strike the emotional chord. And, he does this all well. The story is simple and fun, the science isn't too complicated, the film has a bright look to it and paces all too well. The name George Clooney warrants no introduction since the man has done so much over the years that 'Tomorrowland' is practically a cakewalk for the suave actor. Britt Robertson does well, especially with her eyes conveying her emotions to the point - from cheerfulness to panic, she does it right. Hugh Laurie repeats what he does best - a sarcastic and simple spot on performance as Nix. However, the biggest surprise comes in the form of Raffety Cassidy as Athena who displays emotions of both her age and beyond her age. There's something about this little girl that we all will notice more in the near future. She does beyond well for her age, especially in scenes that warrant tension. The cinematography by Claudio Miranda top notch and the editing by Walter Murch is cut and to the point. One of the biggest additions in the movie is the music. In a kid-centric movie, especially a film that beams the message of hope and optimism, it is imperative that the music compliments the theme of the story to the tee. And, Michael Giacchino's brilliant yet subtle score takes 'Tomorrowland' to soaring heights.

The Negatives:

Sometimes while writing a story, filmmakers tend to lose out on few important elements that are quite essential to the structure of the film. This in turn affects the entire plot. Despite the great ambition of Brad Bird, 'Tomorrowland' suffers from overambitiousness that it just loses the required details - such as the right balance. Oft times, you feel as you're watching that certain elements aren't really necessary here and there and that this ought to be there.

Bottom-line:

As said earlier, 'Tomorrowland' is a kid-centric movie, but it's all that an adult would enjoy. The film does well in its intentions - to feed the imagination of the child in us all. Let's face it, despite all our successes and happiness in life, it is truly the childhood memories and our imaginations then that make them our best memories. 'Tomorrowland' will do just that to you -  to make you "DREAM".

VERDICT: Does a pretty good job in making you 'DREAM'

Rating: 3.25