Movie review: Tomorrowland

There's a lot of action, unanswered questions and convoluted science in Disney's Tomorrowland, a film inspired by Walt's namesake futuristic theme park, mostly to flesh out a premise that's a little thin.

One thing it isn't light on though is a celebration of all things creative and innovative - and it's this Disney trait that pulls you in.

It takes a while for the adventure to take off, with low-key flashbacks introducing us to George Clooney's Frank (once a child genius and now a disillusioned recluse) and Britt Robertson's Casey (a young, bright and scientifically minded teenager), taking us through how they become involved in the experimental project, Tomorrowland.

Thomas Robinson, as young Frank Walker, in a scene from Disney's Tomorrowland. Photo / Kimberley French

They're engaging background stories, but, for a film with tweens in the audience, sharpening up the scene-setting would have helped reduced the lengthy 130-minute running time.

They also make Tomorrowland seem more chaotic structurally than it really is, but once Casey has been introduced to Frank and they join forces to save Earth, Tomorrowland settles into a more coherent story.

Tomorrowland is a secret parallel dimension where the smartest scientists and artists come together in a curvaceous and futuristic-looking city to create things that make the world a better place, without the distraction of bureaucracy or politics. However, somewhere along the way, one of Frank's inventions has caused unintended consequences.

It's up to Frank, Casey and a kid robot called Athena (Raffey Cassidy) to stop this machine and the impact it's having on people.

Disney's Tomorrowland starring Britt Robertson.

There are plenty of clever ideas and the story invokes clever names, including Thomas Edison and Jules Verne, in its mythology. But in some ways, Tomorrowland feels like a tribute to Disney himself and even when it's getting preachy, it's hard not to be stirred by the message it's trying to send.

Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie
Director: Brad Bird
Running Time: 130 mins
Rating: PG (Violence and coarse language)
Verdict: Sci-fi family film with an optimistic message, but messy delivery

- - Timeout