Review of Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010) by Nigel D — 08 Sep 2010

I remember reading the first book in the series in the ninth grade. It was part of the curriculum for English class. I thoroughly enjoyed it and ended up reading the series, chasing down then-highly-sought-after copies of the first five books and eagerly awaiting the release of the last two. Although the scenario the books set does represent serious cultural implications concerning race and Australia's troubled perceptions of a cultural 'other', the appeal was in the survivalism that was so far removed from anything that most of us in this country have experienced. Marsden himself said that everything - particularly relationships - is far more interesting to witness in a time of hardship, particularly war. Ironically these are perhaps the times when we're most 'alive', better attuned to instincts and passions, and the Tomorrow series documents this in the growth, development and brutal loss of innocence of its seven principal characters.

The film adaptation left me with a different impression. It could probably be best described as Home & Away with bullets. It's clearly aimed at a teen audience. Fair enough in itself as that's a large segment of the target audience and the film is about a group of teens, but most of what was good in the book seems to be undermined in the film by a marketing scheme that tailors it lazily and patronisingly to this demographic. The script is at most times at least one of a) subtle as a sledgehammer b) as clunky as my 1982 Toyota Corolla or c) unintentionally hilarious. The acting is no more than what you'd expect from a soapie. Parts of the action scenes are pretty suspenseful and, at times, deliver the desired impact but, like the rest of the film, are often corny and overly hurried.