In films, space has always served as the backdrop for some of the most imaginative stories ever made. Space is the great unknown which is scary, exciting, thrilling, and pretty much every other feeling a person can experience. Most space films explore the great unknown with a sense of wonder, but a few films depict space as the empty vacuum it can seem to be.
The film follows Major Roy McBride, a member of the U.S. Space Command and son of legendary astronaut H. Clifford McBride, on a secret mission to figure out what or possibly who is responsible for power surges on Earth which threaten the planet. Roy learns that, despite the fact that he was informed years ago that his father died on a deep space mission, that his dad might still be alive. To complicate things, Roy also learns that his father might somehow be linked to the power surges on Earth due to his involvement with the Lima Project.
I have mixed feelings about this film after watching it. When I watch a science-fiction movie, I tend to expect a sense of wonder or excitement and this movie subverted the expectations of what many thought this film would be. This is less of a science-fiction movie and more of dramatic thriller that just so happens to be set in space. It makes for an interesting experience but also a frustrating one at times (at least for me).
That isn’t to say that film doesn’t deliver on spectacular action scenes, it is just a very grounded take on space travel with a focus on the sacrifices men and women make in the name of science. This film feels very much like a reverse “Interstellar” as a result. While “Interstellar” had a lot of heartfelt performances in what some critics would describe as a soulless film (I happened to love “Interstellar” by the way), “Ad Astra” had a lot of soulless performances in a movie built on heart. The comparison may not make a lot of sense until you watch both films and then I think it becomes pretty clear fairly quickly.
I did like the central theme of the movie however. We, to this day, spend so much time looking to the stars wondering if we are alone in the universe. Why do we feel so alone on a planet filled with over 7 billion people? Is it that difficult to find human connection? Should we ever feel alone? I liked this concept explored in a film even though I might not have actually set that particular film in space.
The film is led primarily by Brad Pitt and he delivers a strong performance as a son desperately trying to reconnect with father. Tommy Lee Jones delivers a strong performance as said father in the few minutes he is in the picture. Donald Sutherland and Liv Tyler offer brief but memorable supporting roles.
I like director James Gray a great deal which is why I really wanted to see this film. I really enjoyed his film “We Own the Night” and thought it was very underrated. Though “Ad Astra” received mixed reviews, Gray’s talent behind the camera made watching this film a must for me...even if I did end up feeling rather mixed about this film myself.
“Ad Astra” isn’t exactly out of this world but it does give it’s audience something to think about in a much simpler respect. I am not sure what to make of this film and I have a lot to think about, which is sort of the point of this movie I guess.
Grade: C+
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