'The Tomorrow War' Review: Chris Pratt muscles his way through summer's first blockbuster film

'The Tomorrow War' starring Chris Pratt and Yvonne Strahovski is the perfect popcorn-flick that will keep you glued to the screen
UPDATED JUL 3, 2021
Chris Pratt as Dan Forester and Sam Richardson as Gator in 'The Tomorrow War' (Amazon Studios)
Chris Pratt as Dan Forester and Sam Richardson as Gator in 'The Tomorrow War' (Amazon Studios)

Covid-19 pandemic has made the entire world forget how it feels to watch a movie in a theater. Many big-budget spectacles have come and gone, but people were not able to see their favorite films on the biggest screen possible. Fortunately, the streaming services are helping viewers get in touch with the latest projects and Chris Pratt is all set to weave his magic on Amazon Prime Video with the sci-fi epic ‘The Tomorrow War’.

The movie follows the journey of Dan Forester (Pratt) trying to get his dream job. However, he fails to do so and when it feels like he is just going to stay at home and enjoy the time with his wife Lily (Betty Gilpin) and daughter Muri (Ryan Keira Armstrong), BOOM, a football match in 2022 FIFA World Cup is stopped by a group of soldiers who emerge out of a wormhole. Well, it makes sense that a stage like a football world cup was used to get global attention because over a billion people tune in to watch the soccer world cup. In the movie, the humans are fighting a war against an unknown alien species in 2051 and are on the verge of extinction. The only hope for humans to survive is to get some reinforcements. So, they decided to go to the past and transport some soldiers and civilians to the future to join the fight. A few days, Dan also gets a call to fight the war.

RELATED ARTICLES

'The Tomorrow War' Full Cast List: Meet Chris Pratt and other stars from Amazon movie

Why did Chris Pratt and Anna Faris split? How 'The Tomorrow War' star's work led to divorce

Along with hundreds of people, Pratt gets drafted right into the chaos. The whole premise looks really clichéd and we have seen a lot of movies in the last two decades in which humans are fighting a war with aliens. But only a few manage to get the attention that they deserve and ‘The Tomorrow War’ is certainly one of those.

A still from 'The Tomorrow War' (Amazon Prime Video)

As soon as they land in the future, they are greeted by one of the officers from the Romeo Command (Yvonne Strahovski) who orders them to secure her people from the research lab. However, they already have been killed by aliens and the group of soldiers now need to extract “blue ampoules” from the lab. The only problem is that the aliens are already waiting for them to arrive. The first fighting sequence in the movie perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the movie. It is refreshing, the cinematography looks perfect and the way viewers are introduced to the scary-looking aliens is certainly one of the best aspects of the movie.

Chris Pratt as Dan Forester and Yvonne Strahovski as the leader of the Romeo Command in 'The Tomorrow War' (Amazon Prime Video)

Only three people manage to get out of the chaos and one of them is Charlie (Sam Richardson), a scientist who is scared to death about losing his life in the battle. Dan is called up by the leader of the command (Strahovski) while the others are deployed to other places. Pratt and Strahovski’s chemistry in the movie is certainly a treat to watch. The leader of the command is a complete badass on the battlefield and kills like she was always meant to do that. Just so you know, there is a big secret that is revealed when they meet and we are not going to spoil it for you because surprises are good.

Yvonne Strahovski in 'The Tomorrow War' (Amazon Prime Video)

Honestly, there would be a lot of questions in the minds of people while watching it and some of them might get confused by the time travel elements. But ‘The Tomorrow War’ is not a kind of venture where people would pause it and ask such queries. You are just expected to go with the flow and enjoy what’s happening in front of you. As far as acting is concerned, Pratt is easily one of the best talents we have in the industry right now and he is excellent in the movie. Meanwhile, Strahovski leaves you stunned with her impeccable acting. The emotional side of her character is when she is the strongest.

Another actor who floored us with his acting is none other than Richardson. The comic relief provided by his character is something that viewers will definitely enjoy.

Sam Richardson as Gator in 'The Tomorrow War' (Amazon Prime Video)

One of the real exciting parts of a movie like ‘The Tomorrow War’ is the action. They are filmed with a clear-eyed vision and will leave viewers wanting more. Meanwhile, the aliens in the movie are well-rendered and really scary. Whenever they are on the screen, they manage to make you nervous with their tactics and ruthlessness.

Female Alien in 'The Tomorrow War' (Amazon Prime Video)

The movie is far from being perfect, but Chris McKay has done splendid work in giving us a movie that will make you forget about what’s happening in the outside world and would want you to just concentrate on what he’s trying to show on the screen. Fortunately, he manages to do that pretty comfortably.

‘The Tomorrow War’ is a movie that you would want to see on the biggest screen possible while sitting next to your entire clan. You just need to sit in and enjoy the movie that’s surely worth your time. Unfortunately, it is not being released in cinemas. Nevertheless, the Pratt-starrer is the summer's first blockbuster movie that you never knew you needed. 

‘The Tomorrow War’ is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

RELATED TOPICS NEW MOVIE RELEASES

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

The movie is now called 'Guarding Stars' to avoid confusion with Kevin Costner's 1992 romantic thriller
4 hours ago
'Ares' rough BO run will also likely quash all hopes of another 'Tron' film on the big screen
6 hours ago
Maya Hawke gushes over Jennifer Lawrence’s influence while hinting at her return as Katniss Everdeen in the upcoming ‘Hunger Games’ prequel
6 hours ago
‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ charges into theaters in 2026 as the Oscar-winning creative team reunites for a powerful new chapter.
15 hours ago
Kristen Stewart, who starred as Bella Swan in the 'Twilight' movie series, said she's open to re-adapting the 2008 film
1 day ago
Directed by Michael Gracey and written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the studio confirmed Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim’s casting on January 7
1 day ago
Mark your calendars as Neon is set to release Cannes-winning Spanish film 'Sirat' on Feb. 6, featuring a story of a father-son duo in an endless rave
1 day ago
Jay and Silent Bob are two prominent characters from the fictional "View Askewniverse" created by Kevin Smith
1 day ago
Wait for 'The Batman Part II' has been gruelling, but it may prove to be worth it as one of DC's most iconic villains will appear in the film
2 days ago