For a multitude of reasons, science fiction cinema has seen a decline in its sense of wonder and awe. Computer effects have rendered one of the central mysteries of past science fiction films – How did they do that? – obsolete and easily answered. It’s not just the change in effects that have shifted the genre. The changing nature of the movie business have shifted towards superhero cinema. While inherently sci-fi, superhero films are based on characters that many are familiar with. The propensity for wonder is diminished even though many of the films are entertaining. Even Star Trek, the epitome of the inspirational quality of science fiction, took a turn for the repressively cynical with the grim and paranoid Star Trek Into Darkness. The science fiction films of recent memory that haven’t been based on a pre-existing property have been lackluster – Interstellar was alright but uneven, Jupiter Ascending was essentially a remake of The Matrix, and Chappie was, well, Chappie. Despair not, dear reader, because director Brad Bird has brought back the thrill of imagination in the wondrous film Tomorrowland. The film is a colorful homage to science fiction of all eras as well as a well-rounded critique of pop culture and society.
Now I’m going to try and walk a tightrope here by discussing the film without divulging too many plot points as the central mystery of the film is a great part of its enjoyment. When Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) comes in the possession of a mysterious pin, she is transported into a magical world of wonder and imagination. Before she can get answers as to where or what that place was, she finds herself embroiled in a mystery that has her being chased by mysterious forces. With the help of Athena (Raffey Cassidy), a young girl who might not be all that she appears, Casey must track down Frank Walker (George Clooney), a once-brilliant inventor who has found himself overwhelmed by cynicism. Now the trio must work together to save themselves and unravel the mysteries of Tomorrowland.
Director Brad Bird has never strayed away from the grandiose as exemplified by The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and his first live-action film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Working with co-writers Damon Lindelof, a co-writer on Star Trek Into Darkness possibly pushing back on the shortcomings of his work, and Jeff Jensen, the trio have crafted a film that is at once a robust homage to the past present and future of science fiction as well as an active critique of the current direction of the genre. And where so much of today’s is overflowing with pessimism – whether they be set in dystopias or heavy-handed allegory for climate change – Tomorrowland is a film that wants to inspire people, not scare them into acquiescence to the ideological whims of its filmmakers. The message is simple: There are big unanswered questions that hang over humanity like a dark cloud, but pessimism, cynicism, and defeatism don’t provide answers to the big questions. The film also posits that if all we hear is doom and gloom, we’ll believe that the challenges of our era are beyond hope and solving.
But Tomorrowland’s message of optimism wouldn’t be worth a damn if the movie didn’t have the goods to back it up, and back it up it does. The film’s action is strongly presented, Bird using longer shots to make the action all the more viscerally coherent and thrilling. Bird is also able to present a sense of scale which only boosts the film’s seemingly endless sense of wonder and awe. But the film is also taking aim at the way we even consume culture in the age of the internet. At one point, Frank Walker says, and I’m paraphrasing, “Can’t you just look and wonder anymore?” As if he’s directly addressing each person in the audience concerned with inconsequential plot holes for the “Everything wrong with…” videos that are seemingly constructed with an active contempt for the wonders of the cinema.
Of course, George Clooney will draw the most attention by virtue of being George Clooney, and provides a solid George Clooney performance – that right mix of comedy and drama. More than anyone, it’s the young women of Tomorrowland that provide the film with its heart and soul. Simply due to her look and some mannerisms, Britt Robertson will draw comparisons to Jennifer Lawrence. As Athena, Raffey Cassidy provides the film’s most intriguing performance as the mysterious youth with a blend of innocence and wisdom. Other actors providing a boost to the film in supporting roles are Hugh Laurie, Tim McGraw, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kathryn Hahn, with Key and Hahn making the most of their very brief roles.
Tomorrowland isn’t just a great sci-fi film, it’s a great film, one of the year’s best. I’m also pleased to convey that the film isn’t a 2-hour advertisement for Disney theme parks. This is very much a movie with its own identity that is mostly free from the burden of corporate synergy. Tomorrowland is an important film because it is an original idea that aims to inspire more original ideas. Brad Bird and company have made a movie about the people who look to the stars and see the limitless possibilities, not the doom and gloom of an impending catastrophe due to an asteroid hurtling towards Earth or evil aliens from beyond. Tomorrowland is a vibrant, important film for the modern era that is a thrill ride for people of all ages. And with pessimism surrounding us in nearly every facet of modern life, the inspirational optimism of Tomorrowland should be heralded as the miracle of wonder that it is.
