Tomorrowland

Casey is a young teen, living with her father, a former employee for the retired NASA space program, and her little brother. Casey is a curious girl. As such, she has always been curious about “how things work.” Her belief is that anything in the world can be fixed… anything!

One night, after being released from jail for trespassing on NASA property, one of the items that is returned to her is a pin with a giant orange “T” on it. “That’s not mine!” she says. She picks it up and is instantly transported to a large field with large buildings in the distance. She lets go and instantly returns to the police department, realizing she never left the police department in the first place.

Well, curiosity gets the best of Casey. Where did that pin take her? What did she just witness? Through the help of a former scientist and inventor, Frank (George Clooney — “Gravity,” “Ocean’s 11”) Casey is about to discover how it just takes one person to make a difference… and even change the future.

Earlier this year, I myself had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World and Tomorrowland. It truly is a magical place, where I could see the limitless possibilities that lied ahead for the future.

“Tomorrowland” truly captures the essence of Walt Disney’s ride of the same name. With a running time of two hours, “Tomorrowland,” in my opinion, could certainly be categorized as one of Disney’s better films this year. While the performances by George Clooney and Britt Robertson (“Scream 4,” “Life Unexpected”) and even Hugh Laurie (“House” TV series, “Blackadder”) are well done, and slightly humorous from time to time, it is the special effects used in building Tomorrowland that caught my attention. Every idea from the Tomorrowland ride is part of the film—simply breathtaking. It is as if Walt himself had been part of the screenwriting process.

That’s not to say that this film doesn’t have its flaws. My main concern is in the overall structure of the film itself, which many other critics have noted. At times, the film does feel disjointed, questions are left unanswered, even if you are paying close attention. If not for the disjointed nature of the story, I would have enjoyed the film a little bit more as a whole. However, the somewhat confusing nature of the plot, for the most part, did not take away the overall enjoyment this movie provided.

Content for Concern

“Tomorrowland” has, unfortunately, some issues in regards to content, some of which was unexpected for a film rated PG.

Violence: Moderate to Heavy. There are multiple scenes involving violence, including scenes where robots (and a few people) are shot, electrocuted, beheaded, vaporized, and scenes involving lasers. There are moments in the film where we watch clips of natural disasters destroying homes. There is a scene when young Frank is seen being tossed around on his prototype jetpack. There are some scenes involving some slapstick humor, including Casey bumping her head into the wall and Casey falling down the stairs. Lastly, a huge pole is seen falling on a character and crushing the character’s legs (nothing graphic is shown though).

Profanity: Moderate. Most of the profanity comes from George Clooney’s character. Additionally, “h*ll” is used in 6 different instances (NOT something you would expect in a PG rated Disney picture). Other profanity includes “d*mn” (3), “son of a…” (2), “bollocks” (1), God’s name is used in vain—O.M.G. (3), “God Almighty” (1) and “God” (1), and the word “pee” is used.

Lessons

One of the main underlying themes found in “Tomorrowland” is the idea of destiny. Time after time (no pun intended) Casey tells Frank that there is no possible way she could play an important role in saving the world. She thinks she’s no one special.

This is contrary to what God tells us. God has determined our destinies and His will for us before we were even born. It is our calling as Christians to trust, read, pray and discern what God’s will is for us in His grand design.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” —Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” —Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Conclusion

Regardless of whether one has been to the theme park itself, one would still probably enjoy viewing “Tomorrowland.” My feelings for the film, however, are mixed. There is some language to contend with which some parents may find unsettling, as well as multiple scenes of violence that parents may not deem appropriate for younger viewers. While the story may feel disjointed at times, “Tomorrowland” is still a breathtaking and enjoyable movie, overall, as the special effects alone may be worth the price of admission. If you are like me though, you will walk out with more questions than answers. I guess you’ll have to use your imagination to figure out the rest.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/Nudity: Minor—a little cleavage and codpieces

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

• Positive
• Neutral
• Negative
• Young people
• Critics
• Non-viewer comments