Tomorrow, When the War Began Movie Review

'Tomorrow, When the War Began' Examiner Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello


The modern stresses of being a teenager, such as declaring independence from parents and authority and navigating the ever-changing dating world, are enough to leave many adolescents self-serving and pretentious. But the new action adventure drama ‘Tomorrow, When The War Began,’ which is now playing in select theaters and is available for New Yorkers to own via On Demand, iTunes and on Blu-ray and DVD, successfully proves they can bond together and fight for the better good. The film is a captivating look into how some people naturally step into the leadership role when emergency strikes, and how that guidance can successfully bond those striving to take a stand together.

‘Tomorrow, When The War Began’ follows country Australian high school friends Ellie (played by Caitlin Stasey) and Corrie (portrayed by Rachel Hurd-Wood), as they decide to go camping in a remote valley known as Hell. Corrie’s boyfriend, Kevin (played by Lincoln Lewis), Ellie’s next-door neighbor Homer (played by Deniz Akdeniz), her crush Lee (portrayed by Chris Pang) and their friends Robyn (played by Ashleigh Cummings) and Fiona (portrayed by Phoebe Tonkin) join them as they drive into the mountains. During their first night of camping, Ellie sees military aircraft overhead, but doesn’t think much about it until they return home to their deserted neighborhood.

When the friends arrive at Ellie’s house, they see their neighborhood is abandoned, and the power, internet and telephone lines are down. After exploring the area, they discover everyone is being detained at the showground. After Ellie is discovered, the group is pursued by soldiers.

The group eventually decides to return to Hell until they decide what to do next. Along the way, they encounter their classmate Chris (played by Andrew Ryan) alone in his house, and decide to take him with them. Upon reaching Hell, the group hears a radio transmission, which states that Australia has been invaded by “The Coalition Nations” from nearby Asia, which feels it has a right to the country’s immense natural resources and wealth in order to sustain their growing populations. The group decides to fight back, instead of just waiting to be killed.

Stuart Beattie, the director and writer of ‘Tomorrow, When The War Began,’ perfectly translated John Marsden’s novel of the same name, the first book in the Tomorrow series, to the screen. The filmmaker showcased the true essence of Ellie’s determination to keep her friends bonded together during a time of survival of the fittest and crisis. Ellie serves as a respectable role model to teens, as she isn’t afraid to take charge during a disaster and watch over those she cares about, no matter what they may have done. She proves that a girl can truly be the protagonist that fights for what she believes in, no matter what the consequences.


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