I just stepped out of the theatre after seeing "Tomorrow When The War Began" and all I can say is I am so proud to be an Australian producing what is definitely going to be an Australian classic. This reviewer was blown away. I have not seen such a great Australian movie as this in a long time and can not get over how amazing this movie was. But before I get any further with my review let me just note a few things. Firstly, I have not read the books so I don't know if anything has been changed or not, or if the book are better than the movie. Standing alone the movie holds up extremely well. Secondly, I believe Australia has some new stars who are definitely ones to watch in the future. And thirdly I have two words for American filmmakers: Take Note. This is how you make a big action movie on a tiny budget and have the audience hardly able to breath when the action comes hard and fast. It proves you don't need millions to satisfy your audience. It takes a talented director, enthusiastic actors and especially a well written script. So onto the review.
Based on the acclaimed novel by John Marsden, Tomorrow When The War Began follows the story of eight young high school students who live in the fictional small town in rural New South Wales. The all come from all different walks of life. Ellie (Catilin Stasey of Neighbours fame) is the head strong leader who is best friends with Corrie (Rachel Hurd-Wood). There is Corrie's boyfriend Kevin (Lincoln Lewis), Ellies good friend Homer (Deniz Akdeniz), the air head but actually quite smart Fiona (Phoebe Tonkin). Robyn (Ashleigh Cummings) who is the minister's daughter and Chris (Andrew Ryan) a fellow classmate of Ellie's. All eight of them set out on an adventure "To Hell" which is actually a tranquil setting set up in the mountains away from the town where the group decide would be the perfect place for a fun camping adventure. With their parents blessing (and some hilarious scenes involving a few white lies to get them on their trip) they set out on their adventure. What follows is what normal shenanigans teenagers get up to. But something strange happens one night as they are lying asleep. A group of fighter jets fly overhead late at night. The group shrug it off only thinking they are just normal Australian fighter jets. When the group come home they discover all of their parents have gone and wonder what is going on. Phone towers are down. There is no internet and all the towsnfolk are know where to be seen. When they soon go looking for answers they notice that all the parents and townspeople have been taken captive by an Asian army. What follows is a pure adrenaline and heart pounding suspense film with some of the best action scenes I have seen in a long time.
First time director Stuart Beattie should be extremely proud of himself, as the movie is two hours of high octane action, a story so engrossing you will not want to go to the bathroom, and performances by his leads that make the whole piece come together. The screenplay allows the actors to take their range to the limits with their emotions being put to the test. What could have been a disaster is carried out well as we witness all of the characters transform right before our eyes. The movie also raises the questions about religion, personal beliefs, culture and if you were put in this position would you be able to pull the trigger to protect your friends and country?
The actors embrace their characters well. Catilin Stasey was in my opinion a revelation as the lead. Without her convincing portrayal of her character, the whole movie could have been a disaster. No longer will she be known for Neighbours, but should be proud of what she has achieved in this film. The rest of the young actors are all ones to watch in the future. They all work well together, and allow their talent to shine through in the intense moments.
The action scenes are unbelievable. Half way through this movie, I forgot this was an Australian production and quickly thought it was a huge Hollywood blockbuster. They literally grab your attention and be warned you may need to bring an oxygen tank, cause I swear I stopped breathing in many of them.
The only problem with this movie (and stop reading now as I may have a spoiler here) is that I couldn't get enough of the story, and then all of a sudden it ended. I was so engrossed by the film that I wanted it to keep going. I wanted to see what was going to happen to the characters and the town.
This to me is going to be a classic Australian film. I felt it when I saw Looking For Alibrandi, I felt it when I saw Muriel's Wedding and I felt it when I was watching this film. There is something about it I can't put my finger on, but if I could bottle it I would make a fortune. It just works so well, and I am so proud it is an Australian film. I pray that it gets the success it deserves here and overseas. I want the world to stand up and take notice that Australia still has the great talent to make amazing films. Tomorrow When The War Began is brilliant, and I urge you to see it. I didn't expect much when I saw the trailers for the film, but gosh I am glad I went to see it. I only hope they get the sequel out real soon, I can't stand waiting to find out what could become a new franchise for Australian filmmaking. Tomorrow When The War Began as bad as it may sound is one war I didn't want to end. Amazing. 9/10
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