Tomorrow (2019 film): The Movie that Showed Us What the Future Could Look Like, If We Stopped Caring About It

Ah, Tomorrow. The cinematic masterpiece that proved once and for all that the future is not something to be taken too seriously. What began as a typical dystopian thriller soon evolved into an unintentionally hilarious commentary on the power of global climate change to turn us all into circus clowns.

Set in the near future of 2029, Tomorrow follows the story of Daniel, a plucky young environmentalist who sets out to save the world from the ravages of human greed and indifference. Armed only with his wits, a can-do attitude, and a small army of like-minded activists, Daniel travels the globe from one crisis zone to the next, struggling to find hope in a world that seems hell-bent on self-destruction.

The first half of the movie is a classic case of gritty realism. We watch as Daniel and his crew brave sandstorms, collapsing buildings, and toxic waste dumps, all in the name of saving the planet. There are tense moments of danger, heart-wrenching scenes of loss and sacrifice, and plenty of noble speeches about how we all need to work together to fix things before it’s too late.

But then, something strange happens.

At some point, the filmmakers seem to have gotten tired of all the doom and gloom. They start injecting more and more humor into the proceedings, until the whole thing begins to feel like a tossed salad of environmental messaging and slapstick comedy.

Daniel and his crew continue to battle climate disasters, but now they do it while slipping on banana peels, getting covered in mud, and stumbling into each other like a bunch of Keystone Kops. The music cues now sound like they were lifted from a Benny Hill sketch, and the special effects are so cheesy that they could have come out of a 1960s B-movie.

And yet, somehow, it all works.

As the movie careens towards its climax, with the fate of the Earth hanging in the balance, we find ourselves rooting for Daniel and his crew more fervently than ever. Maybe it’s because we feel sorry for them, with all their pratfalls and mishaps. Maybe it’s because we’re just relieved that the movie isn’t taking itself too seriously anymore.

Whatever the reason, Tomorrow manages to deliver a surprisingly uplifting message in the end. Yes, the world is a mess, and yes, we’re all responsible for making it that way. But if we can just find it in ourselves to laugh at our mistakes, and take a little bit of joy in the absurdity of it all, maybe there’s still hope for us yet.

So if you’re ever feeling down about the state of the planet, and you need a little pick-me-up, just remember the immortal words of Daniel, the plucky environmentalist:

“We may be fighting a losing battle, but at least we’re doing it with style.”