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May 31, 2015

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‘Tomorrowland’ tries too hard

THERE’S a lot to like about Disney’s “Tomorrowland.” It’s got George Clooney and Hugh Laurie, robots, explosions, a positive message, and it puts the fate of the future in the hands of two smart young girls.

Still, it’s hard to say exactly who the audience is for this packed-to-the-brim, sci-fi/action-adventure/family romp. The story is nostalgic for a more hopeful time half a century ago, there’s some serious robot violence, yet its overly earnest tone seems aimed at little kids.

It starts at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, where 11-year-old Frank has come to show off the jet pack he built. He meets Athena (Raffey Cassidy), an enigmatic young girl who takes him to Tomorrowland — a futuristic place that exists in another dimension, where all the great thinkers have gathered to make the world more harmonious and more fun.

Fast forward to present day and the focus is on Casey (Britt Robertson), an idealistic teenager fascinated with space exploration. One day she receives a mysterious pin that allows her to glimpse Tomorrowland. She, too, meets Athena, who introduces her to Frank (Clooney), now a grumpy recluse who lives in a fortified house far from town.

Grown-up Frank is bitter and disillusioned about the future. His home is filled with digital toys and space-age gadgets, but also dozens of TV screens flashing constant images of war, starvation, fires and floods. Casey pleads with him to take her to Tomorrowland. He’s unmoved, until a team of killer robots on Casey’s tail inspire him to change his mind.

Director Brad Bird and co-writer Damon Lindelof have created an original, aspirational story that pays homage to Walt Disney’s imaginative concepts of the future.

But they also get a little preachy and heavy-handed in the film.

Most people understand that war, overpopulation and climate change are human-caused realities that endanger life on this planet, and that it’s better to try to improve things than to give up entirely. Yet, although everyone can use a pep talk, “Tomorrowland” repeats the message again and again, to the point of platitude.




 

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