Synopsis:
While on a weekend camping trip in the Australian wilderness, a number of teenagers discover their country has been invaded and their families taken. The unlikely band must decide whether to run or stand and fight.
Neighbours with guns is probably a bit of a harsh description of Tomorrow When The War Began. While some of the acting is at times immature and slightly amateurish, the lead is acted much better than expected. Neighbours and Home & Away seem to be to Australia what the Disney Club is to America – a breeding ground for young entertainers. While some young actors and actresses are able to use these platforms as springboards to bigger and better things, to some it becomes an albatross. Caitlin Stasey’s performance will inevitably draw comparisons to other former soap stars that have gone on to bigger and better things such as Guy Pearce, Chris Hemsworth, Isla Fisher, Melissa George etc. Guy Pearce is a very solid actor who will achieve international award recognition in the not too distant future, and so convincing was Chris Hemsworth in a Star Trek cameo he landed the lead in Thor. Melissa George and Isla Fisher have become feature film mainstays and Caitlin Stasey has followed the same seemingly successful formula – land a role in an Australian soap as a youngster and stay for a couple of years and then move on before becoming typecast. Whether this becomes the first of many feature film appearances for Caitlin Stasey only time will tell.
The film itself is based upon a series of best selling books, and the film adaptation had one of last years highest box office gross in Australia. That is outshone Animal Kingdom (Australia’s Oscar contender) is pretty impressive and it should achieve solid box office success in the UK due to the familiarity of some of the cast. That is not to say it’s a great film. It is well balanced and well paced with evenly distributed action but some of the monologues are unnecessary and one in particular is a bit cringeworthy. However, there is some nice symbolism, particularly with regard to the loss of innocence and it should find a good market in the 12A crowd where it has been correctly pitched.
