tellytubby101 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tellytubby101) wrote2010-09-07 06:55 pm
tellytubby101) wrote2010-09-07 06:55 pm
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Movie Review: Tomorrow, When The War Began
Final rating: 8 out of 10.
Quick Summary: Tomorrow, When The War Began is a movie based off a book series written by John Marsden. The plot revolves around several teenagers caught in the middle of a war set in Australia, especially the troubles and dangers faced by the female protagonist, Ellie.
Now, I'm a traditionalist. 99.99% of the time, I'll enjoy the original book/cartoon/anime/whatever, ten times over the movie. I'd enjoyed the Tomorrow Series as far back as I can recall. I certainly adore them, along with the Ellie Chronicles. John Marsden is a brilliant author, who goes in depth with detail and makes his words into a world of their own. The idea of a movie, years back, was a far off fantasy that I sort-of didn't want created--I've had bad experiences with book-to-movie adaptations.
But Tomorrow, When The War Began was brilliantly done. I hear it's actually one of the highest funded Australian movies created in a long time, and they didn't seem to waste a cent on the explosions. Some of the plot was twisted, especially near the end, made me go 'ehhh', but I guess I needed to bend my back a little to get over the book canon and enjoy the movie adaptation.
The characterizations were done well, and though I had by doubts when I first saw the cast list, I was happily surprised to see how well they carried themselves. The playwrights deserve a good pat on the back for their work. Chris, perhaps, was the only one I have trouble accepting. HIs character was a drug user, yes, but I feel the directors/script-writers had focused too much on that aspect, leaving out together his much-admired artistic and poetic talent that Ellie noted with fascination in the original.
However, Robyn; she was amazingly delivered. I've always adored her. The actress doesn't match the visual I'd had for years, but man, the acting and her lines made up for most of that. Her struggle to kill enemy soldiers while it's against her religion, while an exaggerated book-canon, I felt made it more real.
Fiona and Homer were two characters that were also well acted, but their casting I think fit the role far better. The acting and their lines felt more natural.
There was this one scene where Chris fell asleep on guard duty, and the main protagonist, Ellie, went insane at him for doing so. That was fantasticly shown, brought to life from book to the screen. It struck a cord in me. Definitely one of the better moments in the film.
One little bit that made me iffy was that the invading soldiers were always kept obscure in the books--in the movie, they're clearly identifable as being of Asian background. Perhaps that little bit of bias is because I'm Asian, myself. Then again, there are few countries with a populous big enough to take on Australia's wide expanse of countryside; and Asia'd be one of them.
So, yeah, I like the movie in general; they captured the Australian accent without going nutters, the Aussie speech pattern (yes, we curse that much), and I do think they did the book justice enough - especially fleshing out the several main characters in the two hours they had.
Would I say go see this? Yes. But I'd still point you on your way to the books though.
Quick Summary: Tomorrow, When The War Began is a movie based off a book series written by John Marsden. The plot revolves around several teenagers caught in the middle of a war set in Australia, especially the troubles and dangers faced by the female protagonist, Ellie.
Now, I'm a traditionalist. 99.99% of the time, I'll enjoy the original book/cartoon/anime/whatever, ten times over the movie. I'd enjoyed the Tomorrow Series as far back as I can recall. I certainly adore them, along with the Ellie Chronicles. John Marsden is a brilliant author, who goes in depth with detail and makes his words into a world of their own. The idea of a movie, years back, was a far off fantasy that I sort-of didn't want created--I've had bad experiences with book-to-movie adaptations.
But Tomorrow, When The War Began was brilliantly done. I hear it's actually one of the highest funded Australian movies created in a long time, and they didn't seem to waste a cent on the explosions. Some of the plot was twisted, especially near the end, made me go 'ehhh', but I guess I needed to bend my back a little to get over the book canon and enjoy the movie adaptation.
The characterizations were done well, and though I had by doubts when I first saw the cast list, I was happily surprised to see how well they carried themselves. The playwrights deserve a good pat on the back for their work. Chris, perhaps, was the only one I have trouble accepting. HIs character was a drug user, yes, but I feel the directors/script-writers had focused too much on that aspect, leaving out together his much-admired artistic and poetic talent that Ellie noted with fascination in the original.
However, Robyn; she was amazingly delivered. I've always adored her. The actress doesn't match the visual I'd had for years, but man, the acting and her lines made up for most of that. Her struggle to kill enemy soldiers while it's against her religion, while an exaggerated book-canon, I felt made it more real.
Fiona and Homer were two characters that were also well acted, but their casting I think fit the role far better. The acting and their lines felt more natural.
There was this one scene where Chris fell asleep on guard duty, and the main protagonist, Ellie, went insane at him for doing so. That was fantasticly shown, brought to life from book to the screen. It struck a cord in me. Definitely one of the better moments in the film.
One little bit that made me iffy was that the invading soldiers were always kept obscure in the books--in the movie, they're clearly identifable as being of Asian background. Perhaps that little bit of bias is because I'm Asian, myself. Then again, there are few countries with a populous big enough to take on Australia's wide expanse of countryside; and Asia'd be one of them.
So, yeah, I like the movie in general; they captured the Australian accent without going nutters, the Aussie speech pattern (yes, we curse that much), and I do think they did the book justice enough - especially fleshing out the several main characters in the two hours they had.
Would I say go see this? Yes. But I'd still point you on your way to the books though.