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The Tomorrow War poster

Is The Tomorrow War OK for Kids?

ActionScience FictionAdventure
13+
PG-13⭐ 6.6 / 102021 · 2h 18m
Chris McKay

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United States

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Cartoon / Comedic
4
Action & Peril
2
Injuries & Death Shown
4
Graphic & Disturbing
  • Whitespike aliens tear through soldiers and civilians with tentacles and claws during a graphic attack on Miami
  • James is killed on-screen when a female Whitespike cuts him down in the film's climax
  • Dan is struck by a Whitespike tentacle and severely injured, and Muri is injured during an alien attack and unable to escape
  • The final cave battle features extensive gunfire, explosions, and a brutal confrontation where Dan and James kill the female Whitespike
  • A bombing run on Miami adds large-scale destruction to the combat, and violence recurs constantly with weapons fire and creature attacks throughout
💬Language
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
6
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
62
Strong
(sh*t)
0
Extreme
(f**k)
  • 'S**t' is used extremely frequently (47 times), along with 'hell' (8), 'da**' (5), and 'bulls**t' (2)
  • Moderate language includes 'a**' (3), 'd**k' (2), and 'cr*p' (1)
  • No f-words or c-words detected, but the sheer frequency of 's**t' pushes this into extreme territory for younger viewers
👻Scary Scenes
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mildly Tense
1
Startling Moments
1
Genuinely Scary
3
Deeply Disturbing
  • The first reveal of the Whitespike creatures is disturbing, with unsettling alien design and screeching sounds
  • Discovering the alien spaceship crash site filled with hundreds of dormant Whitespikes is a disturbing, dread-filled sequence
  • The realization that the aliens have been frozen beneath a glacier on Earth for 1000 years adds a deeply unsettling twist
  • Multiple sudden alien attacks during cave exploration are startling, and the Whitespikes' rapid, clicking approach through Miami is tense and scary
  • Scares are resolved through combat rather than removed, meaning the threat remains present and unresolved for long stretches
💕Romance
Very Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Crushes & Holding Hands
0
Kissing & Dating
0
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • The only romantic content is Dan's relationship with his wife Emmy, shown through domestic scenes and his concern for his family
  • Nothing sexual is implied or shown at any point
  • Romance is a minor background element, not a focus of the plot
🍺Substances
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mentioned in Passing
2
Shown Casually
0
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • A character drinks beer casually at a party and another drinks whiskey while working on technology
  • There is a mention of hydromorphone (an opioid), referenced as being used to sedate an alien creature at a dosage of 180mg per hour
  • Substance use is casual and not glorified or shown as central to any storyline
⚡Stimulation
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
0
Exciting
3
Intense
2
Overwhelming
  • The first time-jump to the future is disorienting, with spatial displacement, screaming, and chaos
  • The Miami combat sequence is overwhelming, combining multiple Whitespike attacks, a bombing run, and heavy gunfire
  • The extraction of the female alien creature is an intense, high-tension sedation and restraint sequence
  • The final cave battle and Muri's death scene are both overwhelming emotional and sensory climaxes
  • Sensory-sensitive children or those under 8 may find the rapid editing and chaotic combat sequences too much
The Tomorrow War — Heads Up for Parents

Despite the sci-fi action premise, parents should be aware the language is extremely frequent for a PG-13-style film, with 's**t' alone used 47 times, and the creature violence — including James being killed by the female Whitespike and the discovery of hundreds of dormant aliens beneath a glacier — is graphic and disturbing rather than cartoonish.

About The Tomorrow War

A soldier named Dan is drafted into a war against alien creatures called Whitespikes that takes place 30 years in the future, where he discovers his estranged adult daughter Muri leading the fight against extinction. The film blends intense sci-fi action with a family drama about reconciliation, sacrifice, and legacy, and is tonally serious with graphic creature violence throughout.

👨‍👧
Best watched together
Teens 13+ can likely handle the graphic Whitespike violence and heavy language, but the emotional weight of Muri's self-sacrifice and the family separation themes are worth discussing with a parent present, especially for viewers around 13-15.

Family Takeaways from The Tomorrow War

What it gets right

  • ✓Dan's breathing exercises with young Muri to calm her anxiety model real, gentle parenting techniques
  • ✓The film portrays science and innovation (the toxin research) as the path to saving humanity, valuing intellect and teamwork over pure firepower

The Tomorrow War Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes
●Traditional family values

Dan's entire motivation is saving his daughter and family from future extinction. The film's emotional core centers on a father's sacrifice and dedication to protecting his family across time.

Cast:Chris PrattYvonne StrahovskiJ.K. SimmonsBetty GilpinSam Richardson

Is The Tomorrow War Appropriate for Your Child's Age?

✗Age 5: Not recommended for 5-year-olds
✗Age 8: Not recommended for 8-year-olds
✗Age 10: Not recommended for 10-year-olds
✗Age 12: Not recommended for 12-year-olds
✓Age 13: Generally appropriate for 13-year-olds
✓Age 15: Generally appropriate for 15-year-olds
✓Age 17: Generally appropriate for 17-year-olds

Individual children may vary — use your judgment.

Parents also ask about The Tomorrow War

  • Is The Tomorrow War appropriate for a 13-year-old?
  • Does The Tomorrow War have violence?
  • Is The Tomorrow War OK for kids?
  • What is the age rating for The Tomorrow War?

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