Tomorrowland: A World Beyond (2015) Film Review

Every year, Walt Disney Pictures releases a live action family film - outside its new main business of remaking its classics - which can either go really well or really poorly. In more recent years it's fallen in the latter department, thanks to the huge financial losses for 2012's John Carter and the following year's The Lone Ranger. This time around, the studio opts for an original piece with the help of Pixar alum Brad Bird, who unlike fellow Pixar director Andrew Stanton and his work on John Carter had huge success with his first foray into live action cinema with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, with only the basis that it has some relation to the DisneyLand attraction of the same name. And that was all that was known about the project until October last year when the first teaser was released and immediately caught the attention of audiences everywhere. But with this mystery film finally released, is a trip to Tomorrowland as good as it was desired?

In order to keep it as vague as the trailers advertise it, I'll be a little lighter on the details of the story: when Casey (Britt Robertson) is planted with a strange badge following an arrest, she discovers a strange new world appears when she touches it. Determined to discover more about the futuristic utopia that appears, she comes across Frank Walker (George Clooney) - a desolate inventor who came across 'Tomorrowland' when he was younger - who agrees to take her there, seeing as it may be the only hope for the rest of humanity, which is slowly destroying itself. Casey seems to be the only one who can save it, and the answers lie at Tomorrowland.

Whilst it doesn't sound like much, there is much more to it than meets the eye, with some focus on the younger version of Walker (Thomas Robinson) also shown and a second companion in the form of the initially ambiguous Athena (Raffey Cassidy), and the plot also revolving around Hugh Laurie's David Nix by the time the third act rolls out and the trio arrives at the utopian dimension. With that, the story is more about the journey than the destination - the film irritably goes on about the magical realm of perfection and scientific impossibility but fails to live up to the comments by the time they actually get there. Sure, the place does look very futuristic (although it is laid out a bit like an airport) and does pave the way for a stunning two minute one-shot in the first act, but actually being there leaves much to be desired. The journey there is an enjoyable, with some lovely moments - every Tomorrowland trip via pin is always a moment of joy - scattered throughout, but it becomes something of a let-down when it becomes a place for a fist fight, robot battle and bomb disposal case to occur at the same time. Screenwriter Damon Lindelof is an often controversial writer when it comes to his products, as you can see from the backlash against the end of the TV series Lost or the multiple complaints made about the likes of Star Trek Into Darkness and Prometheus, so it may not be a surprise for those doubters that their doubts are right - it's a film that starts with a bang and ends with a whimper. Kudos for not ending the film in a 20-30 extravagant fight, but something more would have been nicer than just having it end. 

One of the biggest saving graces is, as always, Brad Bird in the director's chair. He makes the film look so wonderful and so whimsical that you can almost forgive the story's troubled pacing issues just because of it. Those early glimpses of Tomorrowland, as prior mentioned, are something to be beloved for years to come (and credit must of course be given to the editing team for that too), but the scenes on Earth also have the glimmers of wonder to them. Much like with Mad Max: Fury Road last week, it's another case of every shot being so picturesque and beautiful. It should be a surprise, especially if you’re talking about the director of The Incredibles, but it's difficult to keep denying the compliments deserved.

Whilst Clooney seems to be hogging the limelight in the promotional material, the lead is Britt Robertson, who fits into the role of Casey very well and does a great job against the talent around her...it's just a pity that her character is really just there because she has to. She has the purpose of bringing the audience into the strange new world around her, but because she's just the spearhead for everything she sadly lacks any actual story of her own. By the end, she's just there to bring hope for the changes needed. Clooney stealing the limelight, in that regard, seems reasonable, as he does a grand job at not phoning in like he could for a family film. For a star of his degree, he could have taken the easy way and just strolled through it, but instead he does become the star of the show. He does have what could be described as creepy business with Athena (which, given the context given, makes sense and doesn't go to Twilight-level horrors in that regard), but aside from that minor niggle he's fine. Raffey Cassidy is occasionally a little stiff in her performance, but as a child actor of her age it does work fine, while Laurie does the usual mysterious British guy trope that will one day wear out - never adding anything but always good to see when he's on screen. There's also a brief segment with Kathryn Hahn and Keegan Michael-Key in a easter egg-filled comic book store which has its fair share of laughs and action which the two work well in, while Casey's father Tim McGraw never really adds anything to the story aside from something for her to return to should they be successful.  

Tomorrowland: A World Beyond was once one of my most anticipated films of the year. Now that I've seen it, it's hard to deny that I was disappointed by it. That said, it wasn't time that I felt was wasted. While the plot may become uneven and practically stop come the third act, the journey was still joyous and pleasant, and the film looks absolutely marvellous with its visuals. It's well acted, occasionally funny, but will unlikely be the start of yet another Disney franchise. A breath of fresh air in a summer of mostly sequels and reboots, but the air isn’t entirely breathable. 6/10.