Movie Review: Tomorrow When The War Began

Tomorrow When The War Began.
(M), 103 minutes, 3.5
Aussie author John Marsden tapped a fertile teenage market with his seven-part Tomorrow series, and its transformation to the screen has started.
And if his first salvo - Tomorrow When The War Began - is any indication, there are sure to be plenty of sequels ahead.
Featuring stars better known on Aussie TV for their parts in teen soaps like Home and Away and Neighbours, this war drama sees the coming of age of these young stars.
Caitlin Stasey (who plays Ellie Linton) captures the screen and is surely the leading light of the movie.
But other big screen newcomers such as Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis, Deniz Akdeniz and Phoebe Tonkin also revel in the depth of the script.
It is a simple storyline - a group of teenage friends in a country town go camping in the bush.
When they return home after a few days away, they discover a foreign power (unnamed but obviously Asian) has invaded Australia.
Their family homes are deserted and the only signs of life are the overhead aircraft, army vehicles rumbling along the roads and the ships arriving at the nearby port.
They learn that their families are being held in a makeshift prison camp in the town's showgrounds, and their invaders mean business and only shoot to kill.
The group's options are simple - they can hide or they can fight - and so begins their war.
They realise their strength lies in their knowledge of the area which makes them a potent guerrilla unit. If they can pull together there is no limit to what they can achieve.
There is good action and strong drama throughout a movie that leaves you wanting more.