Title – Tomorrowland (2015)

Director – Brad Bird (The Incredibles)

Cast – Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Tim McGraw

Plot – When teenage trouble maker and dreamer Casey (Robertson) discovers a mysterious pin in her possessions, she is made aware of a fantastical city that seemingly is humanity’s future. Partnered with Athena (Cassidy) a young girl banished from this city, Casey sets out to find inventor Frank Walker (Clooney) who may just hold the key to unlock the answers to this fantastical world.

 “In every moment there’s a possibility of a better future”

Review by Eddie on 05/06/2015

Filled with much wonder and a refreshingly optimistic tone in a world of modern day “dark” blockbusters, Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland is certainly bursting with creativity and life, yet there is an inescapable feeling that one gets from watching this entertaining family friendly Sci-Fi that there was more for this movie to be than its enjoyable incarnation.

Taking inspiration from Walt Disney himself, Tomorrowland is embedded with much Disney lore and inspiration and with Brad Bird at the helm there are many dream like sequences that will bring a smile to the most cantankerous of faces. Whether it’s the blast of fresh air from a jet pack ride, the thrill of a home invasion by a swarm of smiling robots or the sight of the Eiffel Tower splitting in two to reveal a rocket ship, Tomorrowland lacks nothing in the visual wonderment department and you can just see the Disney executives rubbing their hands together in glee at the thought of potential cash spins offs stemming from this tale. These elements make Tomorrowland a great big screen event and a film that will be cherished by young Disney fans for years to come but in a broad sense there is little denying that Bird and his writing partner Damon Lindelof failed to capitalise on all their various ideas and the film lacks a certain heart that Bird found in previous projects, particularly The Iron Giant and the lack of true soul hurts Tomorrowland’s chances of becoming something utterly amazing despite its strong visuals and ideas and a great cast.

Nailing the casting, Tomorrowland finds great leads in up and coming actresses Britt Robertson as the films hero Casey and Raffey Cassidy as the mysterious Athena, Robertson’s Casey a great new Disney heroine with a believable heart of gold and Athena could just become a cult favourite of the Mouse House’s rabid fan base. Surrounded by the ever reliable Clooney as old time inventor Frank Walker, Tomorrowland matches its lofty ambitions with a hugely likeable cast that at times elevate some questionable dialogue and scenarios into something much more entertaining.  With such a watchable leads, Tomorrowland’s rose tinted view of what humanity can achieve never extends into sappiness and at the heart of this tale there is a positive message for both the young and old to be affected by.

Many had great hopes for what Tomorrowland would be (myself included) and while it never becomes what so many had dreamed it would be, Tomorrowland is still a highly enjoyable original tale in a marketplace full of remakes, rehashes and re-doings and with its more than ever relevant message of humanity working for the greater good, this is a tale that offers more than your average family friendly faire of brainless entertainment. While not great, Tomorrowland is certainly movie making at its most fun, something Walt Disney himself would be proud of.

3 and a half Star Wars props out of 5