Chris McKay’s ‘The Tomorrow War’ wasn’t worth the wait

It was, presumably, pitched as a cross between “Interstellar,” “The Terminator” and “Alien(s),” with two hot Hollywood properties — Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) and Yvonne Strahovski (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) — in starring roles, plus one of the best character actors of his generation (J.K. Simmons) supporting. Which all sounds great. Maybe it could’ve been. But it definitely isn’t.

A brief summary: In December 2022, the eyes of most of the world are on the FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, which is rudely interrupted when a wormhole opens on the pitch, through which come several heavily armed humans, who explain they’re from 30 years in the future, when humanity is on the verge of being wiped out by aliens called the Whitespikes. Their plan? To recruit humans from the past to come fight alongside them for seven days each before being returned to their current timeline (so long as they survive, the odds on which are not great).

Pratt’s devoted father, teacher, and wannabe scientist Dan Forester eventually gets drafted, much to the despair of his wife and young daughter, although his estranged dad (Simmons) seems unperturbed. Oh… Forester is also an ex-soldier.

There are some reasons given why the 30-year time jump is the only one possible, rather than, say, repeatedly jumping to the moment the aliens first appeared and battering them; and why the aliens were able to arrive on Earth unseen. But, like the film itself, they are unconvincing.

Picking holes in sci-fi films can often seem like shooting ducks in a barrel, we know, but director Chris McKay has really done nothing to prevent it happening. There’s a ‘twist’ involving Forester’s first meeting with a future military leader that you’ll see coming before

(the supposedly very smart) Forester does; there are apparently terrifying and utterly ruthless aliens who often seem

to be pretty bad at fighting when a non-dispensable character is involved; there’s a montage that tries (and fails) to make putting fluid on slides under a microscope exciting; there is laughably shoddy CGI. There is more.

Considering the scenario is about as high-stakes as it gets, “The Tomorrow War” seems oddly lacking in jeopardy. You’ll know what’s coming constantly, often word-for-word.

If you love Chris Pratt (even Chris Pratt with all the humor sucked out of him, as here), or you’re in the mood for an escapist evening full of explosions, this might do it for you. Otherwise skip it.

Considering the scenario is about as high-stakes as it gets, ‘The Tomorrow War’ seems oddly lacking in jeopardy.