Film Review: Tomorrow, When the war began

This rather lengthy titled film sees us follow a group of Australian high school teens on a camping trip before the start of their final school year. They make their way to the strangely titled paradise, ‘Hell’. Some planes fly overhead and nothing is thought of it, but as they return home, they learn the planes belonged to an invading nation who are intent on taking over.

What do these teens decide to do? Fight back with all their might!


I came into this film knowing nothing and left completely entertained. I didn’t even know it was based on a hugely successful book series written by John Marsden. The fan base will help get people in the seats but the story has a strong enough pull for all those like me who don’t know the background story.



Caitlin Stasey (who you’ll recognise from Neighbours and The Sleepover Club) is a great choice for the lead role of Ellie. We follow her and her friends as they find their world turned upside down.

The characters are very stereotypical. You have the leader, the bad boy, the pretty blonde, a strict Christian and so on. The script is a tad cheesy at times and the romances are very predictable but what makes this film so good is the concept.

You can sit there and not wonder what you would do in that situation. Our generation living our comfortable lives have never had to worry about invasion and war on our streets. How would we handle it, would you be able to fight back?

None of what they do is too over the top or outrageous and the film is very believable. The focus is on the characters and their reactions to the situation they have been put in. While the production is very good (never has a bridge getting destroyed looked so fun), it is the cast who determined how good the film would be.



We are clearly led to stop and think about all those going through this situation in the world, both now and in the past. Ellie sees a picture of when Australia was invaded and stolen from the Aborigines, how much worse it must have been for them!

It’s the first time directing a film for Stuart Beattie (whose screenwriting credits include the Pirates movies and Australia) and he does a great job. With the sequel on the way, he has his hands on a very successful franchise.

At one point, Ellie asks her best friend if the book she is reading is any good. Corrie replies ‘Yeah…way better than the movie’ to which Ellie responds, ‘They usually are’.

Somehow I doubt fans of the book will be disappointed with the way this film adaptation is going. But I guess I’ll have to read the book to find out.

Tomorrow, When The War Began is released nationwide tomorrow in the UK.

By Nola Ojomu

Published: The New Current