Magellan

I really wanted to like this movie, but I just couldn't. Forget the bargain-barrel sets and special effects; the story-line and plot devices just didn't hang together, and were derivative of half a dozen other -- much better -- science fiction movies (Contact, 2001, etc.). Neither NASA, nor any other nation's space agency, would send a lone astronaut on a multi-year deep space mission; there would be a crew of several people. The protocols he follows for taking samples are on par with a junior high school field trip to the beach. And that the lead character would so easily leave his wife behind while he was away on a 10-year mission is just not believable.

This movie could have been so much better than it was. But it wasn't.

...He didn't know how to be happy or sad, he had same face all along the movie....how come year after year he had such a nice haircut? what about waking up from stasis with a bit of beard? Who ironed his clothing? what did he eat? why did he touch the balls he wasn't supposed to? how come he climbed that crater in 3 minutes? how is possible that he had to carry that small dumb box to carry the ball? Didn't he think that he needed both hands to climb mountains? Did he ever hear about a backpack? he could had placed the ball inside and help himself while on the planet.... So many questions, I have zero answers to them. Best part is the end. Good bye Roger!

Story line is good but everything you know about science is completely absent .

Don't be dissuaded by some of the deeply negative reviews. It seems many either lack attention span or weren't focused as the narrative is absolutely logically consistent. As an example, one reviewer complained about the bit where it has been indicated the wife was distressed being a plot hole, but this was absolutely explained in the movie. Everything laid out was realistic, including the behavior by China (which, frankly, is a direct match for *how China behaves today*), the astronaut himself, and by the bureaucrats at the DoD.

It's a small story with a small cast but a large concept. A hand picked senior astronaut accepts the most important mission in human history, one that necessitates leaving a chunk of his old life behind even assuming he survives, in exchange for the opportunity to make the greatest discovery imaginable.

What he finds is far more Contact, than 2001 (don't be fooled by those lazy comparisons that are based purely on the superficial look and the "AI buddy" with no other similarities to be found), and we are left with a cliff hanger.

I'm hoping they make enough to give us a sequel!

If you liked Interstellar, you'll like this movie. It's a B grade film but the budget is well spent on the right things. The acting isn't half bad as some reviewers have claimed. It's an above average B-Movie, a whole lot better than 90% B movies out there.

If you're looking for some big story with intricate characters and whatnot, you won't see it here, but it's something to kill a bored night with.