The Tomorrow War: Amazon Prime Video Review

Cast: Chris Pratt, Betty Gilpin, Yvonne Strahovski, JK Simmons, Mary Lynn Rajskub

Director: Chris McKay

You've seen films like The Tomorrow War before.

Its mix of gun-toting, wise-quipping, time-travelling, world-saving and alien-shooting isn't exactly a new entrant into the sci-fi genre. Throw in the storylines of second chances, of fathers and sons, as well as fathers and daughters, and you have a very familiar cinematic concoction that spools out over 2 1/4 hours.

But in fairness to Chris McKay and star Chris Pratt's performances both behind and on camera, what emerges from The Tomorrow War is a blockbuster of the highest order, and entertainment that really does make you wish the film had had a big screen release.

Pratt is Dan Forrester, a former military man who's just been denied a promotion. But no sooner than he can lament "I am meant to do something special in my life", the soccer game he's watching on TV with his family and friends at Christmas is engulfed in a puff of purple smoke, and a group of gun-toting humans emerge with a urgent global request for help - from Dan's own future.

With news that aliens will wipe out all humanity within 30 years, and current day recruits are needed in the future to save the day, Dan suddenly finds the calling he's needed...

With some recognisable elements and a tongue occasionally in its cheek as it dismisses any potential timey-wimey plot holes, The Tomorrow War's likeability works because it leans heavily on its leading man to see it through some of the wobblier paradox time travel edges.

With a degree of earnestness and a serving of charisma, it's Pratt's Dan who carries this bug-squashing film through its ropier moments, and its bloated edges. The everyman-needed-to-save-the-day element works well in the FX-heavy film as you wait nearly 45 minutes to first glimpse what's taking down the global population.

McKay manouevres the build up skilfully, making you care about Dan and the other bunch of everyday recruits (the comedic one, the staunchy serious one - there are echoes of Aliens aplenty here) as they negotiate the peril in front of them.

The first battle sequence is a relative small screen masterpiece of manipulation and tension, making you desperately wish this wasn't just a small screen affair. Sure, the bullets come flying and the cheesiness threatens to derail moments, but its all or nothing mentality greatly works for the film.

The other large bonus is Yvonne Strahovski who delivers a future character that not only kicks ass but also shoulders a great emotional heft with ease. If anything, her character nearly one-ups Pratt throughout.

Granted, there are some tonal lurches through The Tomorrow War as it negotiates daddy issues, war movie, creature feature and grounded family drama, but it does it with such aplomb and such verve that it's hard not to succumb to its clearly evident crowd-pleasing blockbuster Independence Day-like charms.

The Tomorrow War is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video