My theory is that good stories have multiple themes. The tendency to think of theme as the “premise of the story” or the “moral of the story” diminishes the potential value of this narrative element. Plot answers the question, “What is the story about?” Themes answer the question, “What does the story mean?”
In The Tomorrow War, here are some of the key themes:
--Family / Home: This is an obvious one as it speaks to the endpoint of Dan’s psychological metamorphosis (as noted previously, the final line of dialogue in the script is Dan saying, “I’m home”).
--Survival: The instinct to survive speaks to the most primordial part of the human brain, the so-called “lizard brain.”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/where-addiction-meets-your-brain/201404/your-lizard-brain
Whereas in some stories, survival may be metaphorical in nature, in The Tomorrow War, it is intended quite literally, not only the survival of the story’s key characters, but also the human species as a whole.
--The Parent Path: In the realm of the Hero’s Journey, this is often where the Protagonist begins their adventure. They are caught up in a path which has already been laid out for them. The path of the “should,” the conventional way of being, the Parent Path. Thus, the events the Protagonist experiences in the plot can be seen as incidents which provoke the character to shift away from the Parent Path while discovering their own path, one which leads to their authentic life.
But from a writing standpoint, the most important theme is when we may call the central theme. It’s the theme that touches every scene, every character, and every event.
In The Tomorrow War, I think it’s the theme of predestination.
https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/the-theology-of-cinema-predestination-e56b9e824f19
Or if you prefer, fate.
Given the fact that the world is being destroyed 30 years into the future, that seems like a nearly inevitable fate. Conscripting humans to leap into the future to fight the aliens is an attempt to circumvent fate, however, given the fact that at the beginning, humans are being slaughtered as the aliens grow in numbers and skills, it seems like a plan predestined to failure.
That’s a Big Picture version of the theme. There is a Small Picture version of it as well as it plays out in Dan’s life. The “deal” he is so obsessed with finalizing in Act One represents his attempts to differentiate himself from his father’s failed path. But in trying to separate himself from his father, Dan does – in fact – create a parallel path toward failure. In other words, in trying to circumvent his father’s failure as a parent and family man, Dan’s obsession is leading him down his own path toward failure.
Thus, Dan’s journey in the Big Picture (trying to save humanity from the aliens) presents a new path for him in the Small Picture (saving himself by reconnecting with his family and his heart).
If the story did not have that dynamic in play, then it would be nothing more than a bunch of humans and aliens slugging it out with zero emotional impact. It is Dan’s psychological journey which provides the story its emotional meaning as he creates a path toward reconciliation and life, rather than alienation and death.
Next: Dialogue.
