Tomorrowland
Directed by Brad Bird
Written by: Damon Lindelof, Brad Bird, and Jeff Jensen
Starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy
Disney Pictures
Rated PG | Run Time 130 Minutes
Release Date: May 22, 2015

The mystery finally unfolds with the release of Disney’s Tomorrowland. Taking its name from the area in both California’s and Florida’s Disney theme parks, the speculation ends here in regards to whether the film is clever advertising, or a picture that speaks to the legacy of Walt Disney’s dreams for a sustainable world created by the world’s greatest minds. Jensen and Lindelof based the film on an idea of Disney’s original concept plans for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, but with an added narrative based around the story of girl genius Casey (Britt Robertson), who finds a pin that shows her a futuristic place where it’s fun to do the impossible. After some internet research and nudging by an animatronic A.I. child named Athena (Raffey Cassidy), Casey arrives at the front door of former boy genius and inhabitant of Tomorrowland Frank Walker (George Clooney). Unable to convince him to show her the way to the place where rockets still fly and progress blooms, Walker gives in when secret animatronic agents are sent to eradicate them and attack his home. Also, this happens just as Casey discovers one of his inventions that forecasts the end of their world, and has a countdown ticking down the days. Before she finishes berating him for sitting there and doing nothing, they flee the happiest blaster-touting robots you’ve ever seen. And along with Athena, who reveals that something is broken in Tomorrowland, Casey and Frank discover that their creative minds make them dangerous to whatever took over the wonderful place, as they may be the only ones able to save it and the world.

Brad Bird helms a throwback to the nostalgic Disney live action pictures of yore, crafting an imaginative traveling adventure that takes it’s characters from the roads of their country, to portals through dimensions. The first act of the film incites a growing curiosity to get to Tomorrowland, that rivals the desire from the film’s leads. Clooney does a stellar job at playing the bitter old man who begrudgingly helps Casey, while disparaging her optimism that the world’s fate could change. But hey, she’s used to challenging the generation before her. Robertson is a breakout, imbuing Casey with the spunky resilience of our favorite Disney heroes.

Their journey to get to Tomorrowland is meta for the struggle it is to keep hope alive, in a world that seems to be heading south quicker than hands are willing to get on deck to change that. And seeing Casey and her crew take on scary animatronic agents and an even grumpier evil old man(Hugh Laurie), mirrors just how worth the fight is against all odds. One of the film’s strongest moments is when Casey’s spirit is almost broken by the even bigger and badder version of the doom forecaster invention. Her sheer determination for making the world a better place and the potential to do so, proves to be the biggest threat to doom there is. And for that the film is one of Disney’s greatest love letters to the mind of the man who started it all and believed if we banded together we could keep moving forward to a better future. No matter the film’s last act shortcomings, which kinda prove to be problematic to the concept, everything leading up to saving both Tomorrowland and the world will inspire adults and children alike.

Videos

Tomorrowland Official Trailer #1 (2015) – George Clooney, Britt Robertson Movie HD

Tomorrowland Official Trailer #2 (2015) – George Clooney, Britt Robertson Movie HD