Tomorrow, When The War Began [Blu-ray] [2011] [Region Free]

I thought this was going to be some low budget tv style movie and was pleasantly suprised. I was also suprised to find Australia isn't just a flat desert with Ayres Rock sticking out of the middle. The region in which the heroes of the tale take refuge from the invaders is mountainous, green and beautiful. So that's the stereotypes out of the way, what's the film like? It starts off quite slowly as it introduces the cast members who appear to be young soap stars in the main and they all set off for said beautiful countryside to go camping. When they return they discover that the country has been invaded by an Asiatic coaltion and all their families are interned. They go on the run back into the wilderness and decide to fight back. Action scenes are well executed and no it isn't low budget, some of the effects are very good indeed. The story romps along at a good pace and overall it was suprisingly good. Some of the storyline is a little predictable but that is inevitable in our media soaked world and you and I know that the USA would not have stood by and let Australia be overrun but don't let that spoil a good yarn. I'm looking forward to seeing part two which should be out next year.

The basic premise of the movie, a quasi overnight invasion of Australia by a foreign (unidentified but clearly Asian) power is on the one hand chilling yet very interesting as well. Most developed countries simply do not and have not for some time lived under the constant threat of military invasion and apart from the armed forces occassionally participating in operations abroad, the reaction one would have to one's own country being invaded is probably largely unknown and unexplored for today's population living in such countries.

This is what this movie sets out to do and in my opinion it does a good job of it too. It is seemingly based on a book of the same name (Tomorrow, When the War Began), which seems to have been receiving fairly positive reviews on Amazon as well.

A group of teenagers goes for a camping trip to a remote location and they return to a world completely alien to them - an Australia invaded by a foreign power. To them remains the decision whether to run and hide, surrender or fight.

While this all sounds a bit like Wolverines it is nowhere nearly as cheesy, pathetic or poorly executed. The various people in the group display various ways of dealing with the dilemma, and seem pretty well modelled. Sure enough, the tone does turn up a bit patriotic in the end and they get idealised at some point but at least there is a pretty good description of how the patriotism develops.

The acting is decent throughout, the story of how such an invasion could happen to a country, which is demonstrably superior to its neighbours militarily is even relatively plausible (if still somewhat far fetched - but that is not the point of the movie) and while the ending is a bit predictable, I still rate the movie quite highly.

Most importantly, it will leave you thinking of how you yourself would react in such a situation. Clearly no movie or amount of thinking will give you a picture of how you would face such a situation, if it ever came, but it will at least probably let you ponder various scenarios for days after seeing the movie.

As a fan of Caitlin Stasey from the older generation I was looking forward to seeing her first major movie film.To say Tommorow was done on a very limited budget and no commitment from Hollywood financial or otherwise and varied reviews from the critics, I went in with a opened mind to give my review,which is as follows.SEE THIS FILM yes I felt there were some continuity issues by the editing or footage not shot due to cost.Having said that The Aussie film industry can be well pleased with Tomorrow When The War Began.Strong performances from the young cast especially Caitlin AND Deniz.Great action footage and great scenary of NSW.Well done Stuart and all involved.My favorite part was when Caitlin goes to town on her friend for falling asleep on guard duty,I just thought WOW. LOOKING FORWARD TO TWTWB 2 AND 3. Go buy the DVD GO SEE THE FILM.PS I know comparisons have been made with Red Dawn as far as I am concerned the films, apart from both countries being invaded is where the similarities stop.Both films stand on there own merits.