Review of Tomorrowland (2015) by James S — 06 May 2016

Brad Bird is known for making great animated movies, such as The Incredibles and Ratatouille. He recently broke out into live action with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol to rave reviews. Now, he has an original idea for a film (albeit based on a Disney Parks ride), and it largely works.

Youngster Casey and Oldster Frank form an unlikely duo, accompanied by quirky, seemingly ageless Athena. Together, they must work to save the world from likely destruction yadda yadda. It seems troped, but it's the way the story moves that sets it apart. Every character has surprises, even Casey (who largely serves as the audience substitute here) and the dynamic between them is done very well.

Newcomer Britt Robertson is very enjoyable as Casey, making the character both optmisitic and very relatable to everyone. Clooney, of course, gives a fine performance, as does Hugh Laurie. Raffey Cassidy brings a lot of spunk to Athena; she is a wonderful presence to have throughout the whole movie. Finally, although they are only in one scene, Keegan-Michael Key and Kathryn Hahn really steal it as one of the most memorable in the film.

It's an optimistic tale for sure. It does have a message for the kids (and the adults), but it is layered in warmth, humour, and great intentions.