TOMORROWLAND
DIRECTOR: Brad Bird
CAST: George Clooney, Brit Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Hugh Laurie
CLASSIFICATION: 10-12PG V
RUNNING TIME: 130 minutes
RATING: ***
TOMORROWLAND achieves the dubious distinction of being both ruthlessly calculated and a total mess. And, that’s not a hot mess.
The would-be adventure story totally buys in to its source material – the Disney theme park of the same name. But, unlike the rollicking fun of Pirates of the Caribbean, this one sacrifices story on the altar of gorgeous visuals and impressive special effects.
Just less than two hours in, the storyline suddenly comes into focus courtesy of the bad guy’s speech, and it is a g-o-o-d speech, but it’s too little, too late.
The idea is sound, it’s just this film of ideas (the most obvious being Disney’s favourite message of be positive and you will solve all the world’s problems) is not supported by its story and ends up being dull.
The idea is that there is this mysterious place called Tomorrowland, that was created by scientists and engineers and great thinkers, where anything is possible. As a curious little inventor, Frank Walker (Thomas Robinson) gets invited into this magical world, but is eventually chucked out.
Fast forward from the ’60s to today and teen Casey Newton (Robertson) touches a pin and is transported to this world. She tries to figure out how to find this world and tracks down now older and embittered Frank Walker (Clooney). Cue men in black, rockets and oh yes, there’s an ass-kicking little girl robot, too.
Finally, the intrepid trio (Athena the robot, played by Raffey Cassidy, makes up the third part) make it to Tomorrowland and this is when the story starts going somewhere. But things happening does not a story make.
Robertson does her best to make the twee dialogue sound believable. Clooney dials the charm way down, but doesn’t have to do much more than scowl his way through booby traps and corny dialogue. Hugh Laurie gets that one good speech as the bad guy and Cassidy pulls off playing a robot.
The film has glorious visuals, but all this action detracts, rather than serves the story.
If you liked Cloud Atlas, you will like this.