Ad Astra

'Ad Astra' was a film I knew nothing about going in, and i'm glad I went in blind. It was visually gorgeous with nail biting set pieces, but the story hit me in just the right spot. It takes a good script for you to hear voice over in lieu of dialogue and not feel like you're being cheated, and this script was, in my mind, excellent. It's a vibe-y film that spends a lot of time in silence, and if you're like me you'll really appreciate the time it takes to develop the emotional and visual severity. On its surface it's a space epic, but in its heart it will speak to victims of depression, as well as anyone who's ever spent years feeling like they didn't belong. It takes a journey greater than most are wiling to take to find your deepest demons and confront them. Absolutely loved it.

I like sci fi as a genre because of the ideas. There doesn't need to be shocks, suspense even. But there should be excitement, often borne of seeing a clever idea germinate, take root and blossom...ideally into a dark flower. Ad Astra has one narrative thread, a couple of ideas, but nothing beyond that. It's an extemely rushed film...2 billion miles in 2 hours. It's rushed and dull though...not a good combination. The dramatic mkments are crow-barred in...the moon sequence...the Norwegian space ship. Neither are there to move narrative or charchter forwrd though, and as such feel terribly contrived. And as for this film's Colonel Kurtz...don't bother. I kinda wish i hadn't.

James Gray both wrote (with Ethan Gross) and directed this psychological science fiction story that has polarized viewers: while many love the film, as many loath it - and for various reasons that can be read as private opinions. In short, the story relates one Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) who undertakes a mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father Colonel Clifford Mc Bride (Tommy Lee Jones) and his doomed expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the universe and the survival of earth. In the treacherous opening Roy falls from an incredibly tall space tower all the while maintaining normal vital signs and mental stability - traits that accompany him through the film's adventure until the ending. Along the way he encounters older astronaut Thomas Pruitt (Donald Sutherland) and a few other persons both of the astronaut bent and those living on other planets - very small parts in this essentially one man film.

The focal point of the film is the father/son relationship altered by space and time and that allows the story to rise above routine sci-fi elements. Brad Pitt is excellent, if a bit monochromatic, and the technical, visual, and graphic elements of the production are exceptional as is the cinematography. This is a fine example of intelligent science fiction that retains nods of insight into the mind states of those who explore space as well as the quite possible future of space exploration with the accompanying benefits and potential problems. A bit too long and in need of editing, AD ASTRA is still a worthwhile evening's entertainment.

Ad Astra had its moments but it was underwhelming and a bit light on hard science. The low/no gravity seemed to be poorly and inconsistently portrayed. It definitely seemed like it was trying to be more meaningful and worthy than I think it was. And it had typical tropes that seemed lazy and unnecessary. I enjoyed it enough and the sets, costumes and props were quite wonderful of course but it was ultimately quite forgettable and nonsensical.I'm sure it was trying to say something about the mental journey of the main character rather than his space-faring one, but I don't know what it was. Could also be called "A series of unfortunate space-related events".

Hello from Earth, Moon, Mars, Neptune, Space. Brad is all over the place. The film starts with a great sequence for approx. 7 minutes, which is captivating and visually stunning. Unfortunately, then it gets to a slow-burn mode till the story develops a bit more and we get to see another visually impressive sequence past 30 minutes. It does get more interesting later on and together with the visual impact (a kind of dreamy action sequences) and the nicely written score you will want to sit this through the end. Acting is good and for fans of Brad Pitt, this works perfect as he is in almost every scene. Science...well i am not an expert here but the things portrayed in the film are not really tied to exact science. It is the future after all and humanity knows more, right? I would not read too much into that; it will help you enjoy the film more. In contrast with some negative and maybe unrealistic reviews that I read here, if you like a mix of mild father-son drama together with sci-fi, this is a very nice film to watch. 8/10