Review by John Delia
The kid friendly Tomorrowland has arrived on home video with a cool adventure that should entertain the 7 to 16 year old crowd. Those of all ages who just can’t miss a sci-fi movie may also be included in this group depending on whether they accept the mild to moderate conflicts and the somewhat realistic message the film presents. As for the production, it’s very good with fine directing, computer graphics and visuals that amaze. Now on Blu-ray and DVD and available in a combo pack, the film has many features that will add to your home viewing pleasure.
About the movie: The film opens with older Frank (George Clooney) talking to a group. He’s prompted by a person off camera to tell his story from the beginning. Flashing back to his childhood we find young Frank (Thomas Robinson) going to the New York World’s Fair in 1964 where he presents his jet pack invention to a scientific group lead by David Nix (Hugh Laurie). Nix is very impressed by the boy’s invention, even though it has not been perfected.
Frank walks away from the group and moments later a young girl Athena (Raffey Cassidy) approaches with a special pin. And thus the adventure begins leading to a world that harbors a mystery that can change the world as we know it forever. Director Brad Bird noted for animated films like Ratatouille and The Incredibles as well as the action thriller Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, puts his talent to work on Tomorrowland. He uses his fine ability to project the amazing world and add the necessary thrills to keep it exciting. He’s an excellent chief and he shows it with his skill to build characters from his actor base.
And his actors are enjoyable to watch. Although the choice of Clooney may be somewhat typecast for his part, he still delivers the stability needed for his acting counterparts. He’s the ‘father’ figure, the connection between the aging Earth and another dimension and must lead believers to Tomorrowland to save it.
The stars of the film are two youngsters who build characters that believe there’s a way to save Earth from its own destruction. Britt Robertson plays Casey Newton a young girl who’s inquisitive enough to find herself in a jail cell for trespassing on government land. When Casey gets bailed out she holds the lapel pin to another dimension. Her ability to react to the situations in which Casey finds herself and make it all look real makes Britt the perfect choice. She’s the catalyst that pushes older Frank to act on saving the future.
Playing the part of the feisty Athena, Raffey Cassidy shows her skills as the determined young girl that seeks out believers. She’s fun to watch making her character prying and even intrusive at times in order to get certain people to help her. It’s like watching Lisa on The Simpsons, she’s highly intelligent yet persistent at times and with the Tomorrowland plot Cassidy fits the character to aplomb.
The plot is a bit predictable and doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination as it’s anticipated that Casey’s will lead us to a world that she’s intended to change. While it won’t be a problem for the youngsters, for science fiction and fantasy lovers it should cause periods of ho hum and yawns. The over two hours of Tomorrowland may be a little long for the target audience and not enough originality for the parents.
BONUS FEATURES: The Blu-ray Combo pack is loaded with special features and bonuses for the whole family.
“Remembering the Future: A Personal Journey Through Tomorrowland with Brad Bird†Discover everything there is to know about the making of Tomorrowland through Director Brad Bird’s perspective.
“Casting Tomorrowland†Director Brad Bird, Damon Lindelof, George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Britt Robertson, and Raffey Cassidy discuss the making of Tomorrowland.
“A Great Big Beautiful Scoring Session†Famed composer Michael Giacchino invites Disney legend, Richard Sherman to join him in an informal visit to the Tomorrowland scoring stage, told through the personal lens of Michael’s brother, documentarian Anthony Giacchino.
“The World of Tomorrow Science Hour†– Hosted By Futurologist David Nix (Blu-ray and DMA Exclusive)
“Animated Short: The Origins of Plus Ultra†An animated story of how Tomorrowland came to be.
“Brad Bird Production Diaries†Includes three diary shooting experiences
“Blast from the Past Commercial†Go back in time and watch this original commercial for the Blast from the Past store.
“Deleted Scenes with Filmmaker Intro†Eight deleted scenes are featured. Probably deleted due to the length of the movie.
Tomorrowland has been rated PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and peril, thematic elements, and language. Some of the fighting scenes are a little rough for the very young. Set up your room to be comfy and have the popcorn ready for this visual experience.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A good film for the youngsters. (B-)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Thomas Robinson, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Pierce Gagnon
Directed by: Brad Bird
Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Action, Mystery
MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and peril, thematic elements, and language
Running Time: 2 hrs. 10 min
Original Theatrical Release Date: May 22, 2015
Video Release Date: October 13, 2015
Language: English (you can also play the film in French or Spanish
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray (also available in DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack)
Audio: Blu-ray- DTS 7.1, DVD- Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: 1080p High Definition, Aspect Ratio 2.20:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Number of Discs: 2 Discs plus Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA)
Distributed by: Buena Vista Home Entertainment