Don’t be put off by the title inspired by a Disneyland ride – The Haunted Mansion this certainly isn’t.
Like the glittering, space-age utopia it takes its name from, Brad Bird’s sci-fi adventure is a bold and beautiful film, staring wistfully into the past even as it strides hopefully towards the future.
Some will sneer at the seemingly Objectivist undertones; others will call it preachy and overly optimistic. But what’s wrong with being quixotic? We need directors like Bird to lead the charge, tilting at the windmills in our society – especially when the windmills in question really are giants.
Timely and timeless in equal measure, Tomorrowland is a high point in Bird’s career. It won’t change the future, but people will look up and be inspired and that’s enough.
RATING: 5/5
INFORMATION
CAST: Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Raffey Cassidy, Hugh Laurie, Tim McGraw, Pierce Gagnon
DIRECTOR: Brad Bird
WRITERS: Brad Bird, Damon Lindelof, Jeff Jensen
SYNOPSIS: A teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor seek out the secrets of a place hidden in time and space.
A screening of Tomorrowland: A World Beyond was kindly provided by Walt Disney Pictures and DDA Event Management.