Amazon’s The Tomorrow War divides sci-fi fans

Warning: this post contains spoilers for The Tomorrow War

The Tomorrow War, starring Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, and J.K. Simmons, a sci-fi adventure movie debuted on July 2 on Amazon Prime. Heavily promoted prior to its release, the film promised plenty of action and drama in the official trailer with time-traveling soldiers interrupting a soccer game and glimpses into the dismal future where a never-ending war was being fought against aliens that aren’t so easily defeated.

Though the premise is a strong one, many fans have issues with how the plot was carried out with questions like: why was the toxin even needed if Dan and his friends were going to blow up the aliens’ ship in the end? Also, dozens of people were fighting against the mother alien in one scene, but she managed to be overtaken by only two people in the end. How was that possible? And why didn’t Dan’s team take the time to develop a better way to deliver the toxins to the Whitespikes, as the creatures are called?

One of the main issues that has divided fans is the lack of progress thirty years into the future which is where a rag-tag team of civilians, some with no military or law enforcement experience, head to fight these beasts. And everyone is still fighting with regular guns. Where is the more modified weaponry? Critics also call out the CGI aliens, not impressed with Amazon’s efforts.

The Tomorrow War has some fans’ approval, though

While some viewers are calling the movie “silly,” “boring,” and “a time-waster,” others are praising the film for its innovative story and astounding CGI effects. (The aliens were seriously creepy.) Many were giving the film thumbs-up for being entertaining with lots of action and an everyday guy trying to save the world.

The one point on which everyone can agree seems to be Chris Pratt’s interaction with his daughter, Muri, in the present time. The two share a bond that’s evident on screen, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong was the perfect choice to play the little girl.

Sci-fi films can be polarizing so it’s not a surprise that The Tomorrow War has both its critics and its devotees. Overall, it comes down to a matter of what you like, and, as we all know, what you like might not be what someone else likes. Many films have been panned upon their release only to become cult classics later (i.e., The Thing, and The Blob) so it’s entirely possible viewpoints will change in the future or a new fanbase will develop.