Tomorrow, When the War Began

Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010)

Tomorrow, When the War Began is a 2010 Australian film directed by first-timer Stuart Bettie set in a rural New South Wales town. When several teenagers go camping in the woods shortly before the end of their summer vacation, they return home to find out that their nation has been conquered by a hostile enemy force. (The nation(s) are never named, even though the enemy soldiers in the film are clearly of Asian heritage; instead, it is mentioned to be a coalition of Asian territories). The teens decide to hit back using guerrilla warfare.

The following weapons were used in the film Tomorrow, When the War Began:

Rifles

AK-74

The main weapon of the Coalition forces in Tomorrow, When the War Began is the AK-74 rifle. It is modified with a ribbed metal magazine vs the smooth plastic one, and a rail mount designed for various attachments (the only one used in the film is a tactical flashlight mounted underneath the forward grip). After her first encounter with Coalition troops, Ellie Linton (Caitlin Stasey) scavenges an AK-74 from a dead enemy soldier, which several of the group ends up using at one time or another. Although the more dominant military powers in the region use more advanced weaponry, such as the Chinese QBZ-95 assault rifle, many smaller nations including North Korea and Vietnam still use AK-variant rifles, which suggests that the occupying forces in this particular town come from one of these countries. Or a more simple explanation is that the AK rifles were easier for filmmakers to get a hold of.

AK-74 - 5.45x39mm

A member of the occupying forces stands on guard with an AK-74.

Homer Yannos (Deniz Akdeniz) "locks and loads".

Homer takes down the spotlight on an enemy scout helicopter. A good shot results in the entire house being bombed to pieces by an Air Force jet. Note the (switched-off) flashlight on the rail mount.

Homer's fingers tighten around the trigger of the AK-74.

"This is no time to get religious!" Ellie Linton (Caitlin Stasey) tries to encourage Robyn Mathers (Ashleigh Cummings), the "conscientious objector" of the group, to return fire at enemy troops.

Ellie goes berserk when she finds Chris Lang (Andy Ryan) asleep on guard duty.

"Do you know what the penalty is for falling asleep at your post is?" Ellie threatens Chris with execution for dereliction of duty.

An enemy Officer discovers a hole in a barbed-wire fence.

An enemy Soldiers takes aim at a fleeing tanker. The Officer stops him before he wastes time and ammunition.

Robyn's friendship overtakes her religion.

Robyn goes Rambo with the AK-74, mowing down four or five enemy soldiers despite firing from the hip at full automatic. Pretty impressive for a teenage girl.

Ellie tosses an AK-74 to Lee Takkam (Chris Pang).

AKMS

Several AKMS rifles are seen at the end of the movie as part of a captured enemy weapons stockpile and carried by Fiona Maxwell (Phoebe Tonkin) (probably because of its light-weight compared to the AK-74).

Custom AKMS with shortened barrel, as seen in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Pineapple Express, Rambo, and Taken - 7.62x39mm

An AKMS lies in a supply crate.

Fiona Maxwell (Phoebe Tonkin), second from left, holds an AKMS with folded stock.

Winchester Model 70

A pair of Winchester Model 70 hunting rifles are taken on the camping trip. They make another appearance at the end during the guerrilla raid on the bridge and when the group shows off their armament.

Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 - .30-06

A pair of Winchester Model 70 rifles, fitted with telescopic sights, lie crossed in the bottom right near the bonfire.

After a successful hunting expedition, Ellie Linton (Caitlin Stasey) and Homer Yannos (Deniz Akdeniz) have a discussion on love.

Homer's brief attempt at sniping is interrupted by rude enemy soldiers firing AK's.

Homer (second from left) and Chris Lang (Andrew Ryan) (far right) carry Winchester Model 70 rifles around their shoulders.

Ruger Mini-14

A Ruger Mini-14 rifle, probably family-owned, is briefly seen carried by Chris Lang (Andy Ryan) at the end.

Blued Ruger Mini-14 Standard Model Semiautomatic Rifle (Pre-2005) with 30 round magazine - 5.56x45mm

Chris Lang (Andy Ryan), far left, holds a Ruger Mini-14 rifle.

Machine Guns

Browning M1919

Browning M1919 Light Machine Guns, mocked up to give them a more "modern" look, are mounted on the Military Buggies used by the Coalition, most notably in a wild chase with a guerrilla-commandeered bulldozer. It appears to be the M37 pintle-mounted variant.

Browning M1919 on M2 tripod - .30-06

A Buggy armed with a mocked-up Browning M1919 moves out on a Recon patrol.

A Buggy chases the group. In this shot, you can clearly identify it as a mocked-up M1919.

An enemy Soldier fires the mocked-up M1919 in an over-the-shoulder shot.

The Buggy in hot pursuit. Notice the red cover over the barrel.

Shotguns

Ithaca 37

The long barrel hunting version of the Ithaca 37 is carried by Homer Yannos (Deniz Akdeniz) at the end of the movie.

Ithaca 37 long barrel hunting version - 12 Gauge

Homer Yannos (Deniz Akdeniz), second from right, carries the hunting version of the Ithaca 37.

Handguns

Heckler & Koch USP

An enemy Officer uses a Heckler & Koch USP to execute a rowdy Australian citizen.

Heckler & Koch USP - 9x19mm

An enemy Officer shoots a rowdy Australian citizen with his USP.

Glock 17

Near the beginning, a police sergeant is briefly seen with a Glock 17 in his holster.

A Generation 3 Glock 17 - 9x19mm. Note the finger grooves, thumb reliefs, and accessory rail on the frame, which differentiate it from the older model.

Launchers

Type 69 RPG

The Type 69 RPG, a Chinese copy of the Russian RPG-7, is carried by Lee Takkam (Chris Pang) at the end of the film.

Chinese Type 69 RPG - 40mm

Lee Takkam (Chris Pang) (centre) carries a Type 69 RPG around his back.

Grenades

M26 Hand Grenade

Robyn Mathers (Ashleigh Cummings) can be seen with a bandolier of M26 Hand Grenade's at the end of the film.

M26 HE Fragmentation Hand Grenade

Robyn Mathers (Ashleigh Cummings) slings on a belt of M26 Hand Grenades.