Tomorrowland

Review

Tomorrowland (Sci-Fi, Family, Adventure) (2015)

Director: Brad Bird

Writer: Brad Bird, Damon Lindelof, Jeff Jensen

Stars: Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidey, George Clooney, Hugh Laurie

Having glimpsed into an alternate dimension, an enthusiastic, clever teenager embarks on a mind-bending journey to uncover the concealed secrets and hidden reality of a technologically advanced place called Tomorrowland.

Based upon Disney's Tomorrowland, an area within its theme parks worldwide, Brad Bird's feature aims to bring fiction closer to reality. Taking years of development, "Tomorrowland" was meant to highlight Walt Disney's fascination with futurism and scientific innovation in the form of a utopian society, which was outlined with the EPCOT concept, a community meant to be constructed near Orlando, Florida. When Bird signed, those ideas shifted towards the disappearance of cultural optimism within humanity, which resulted in a deeper and more complex narrative. It's been produced by A113 Productions and Walt Disney Pictures while also being distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Growing up near a NASA launch platform in Florida, young Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) frequently explores the site, trying to sabotage the inevitable demolition of it, hoping to save the job of her father, Eddie Newton (Tim McGraw), who worked there some time ago before losing his job. Getting caught, she's arrested; while recovering her belongings, she finds a lapel pin with a T embossed on the front. Upon contact, this pin seemingly transports her to a hidden dimension called Tomorrowland. Having discovered this different reality, Casey does anything in her power to uncover the mysteries of this technologically advanced world in a life-altering path.

Through Lindelof and Jensen's script, with Bird's input, they created a film transporting the characters and audience to an alternate reality. Recapturing that childhood imagination once seemed lost to time. A bleak future is seemingly inevitable through narrative elements and Clooney's Frank Walker, which, since it is meant to be a positive feature, should and perhaps can be avoided if humanity recaptures the curiosity that faded away in time.

Early, the viewer is exposed to an extraordinary scientific marvel through Frank Walker's experience in a brief prologue before his journey is discontinued, replacing Tomorrowland for the real world and Casey Newton's rediscovery of the futuristic reality.

An almost overbearing theme is promise, the will to believe and explore possibility. Guided back towards what remained a vision of capability in a recognisable family adventure format, that said, an exciting journey brimming with situational comedy and fitting the Disney mould with some striations. Within an all-encompassing assignation, "Tomorrowland" is meant to please audiences of all ages and rapidly moving, explaining promptly before returning to the yellow brick road meant to move the narrative along. Clear and concise archetypes provide what's sometimes missed in modern film; easily developed characters with obvious motivations, from an energetic, hopeful young woman to a disillusioned guide and a discontent villain, immoral, not truly evil. It's far removed from Disney's best original film, yet just as far from the worst. It just underdelivers in a commendable effort, trading paint within its final minutes.

Capturing that intangible childlike wonder, sprinkling humour and genuinely enjoyable characters throughout "Tomorrowland" has that Disney magic. Yet, it uses it only to fire sparkly fireworks above the Disney Castle and fails to capitalise entirely on what it could be, keeping much behind a curtain.

Verdict

More like Yesterdayland.

7,0