Orbita 9

'ORBITER 9': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A Spanish science fiction romance about a young woman who's spent her whole life in a space pod, and learns that the reality she's always known is a lie. The film was directed and written by Hatem Khraiche (in his feature film directorial debut). It stars Clara Lago, Álex González, Andrés Parra and Belén Rueda. I found it to be interesting and effectively involving as well.

Helena (Lago) is a young woman who's spent her entire life (since birth) on a space pod sent from Earth to a distant planet. Once there she's told she'll meet other people and have a normal life. Her only communication has been with the ship's onboard computer. That is until a repairman, named Alex (González), arrives on the pod to make needed repairs to it. Helena immediately falls in love with him, having been the only person she's ever met, and Alex feels strong emotions for her as well. That's why he's compelled to tell her the truth, which will expose to Helena that nothing she's believed about her entire reality is true.

The movie proposes great questions about what the greater good is, morally, and how much is an acceptable cost to achieve it. Although the story feels a little reminiscent of other classic sci-fi tales, it still seems mostly fresh and original. The actors all give decent performances in it, and the visuals are beautifully shot as well. The film succeeds at pretty much everything it sets out to do. Still I didn't love it, but I have no real complaints about it either.

From the opening I loved the concept, a sci-fi film with some very subtle twists that offer up a thinking mans film. Unfortunately as we enter into the 3rd act, the film gets bogged down into cliché storytelling and the compelling twists and turns become a Michael Bay attempt at a love story.

There are hints of Blade Runner, EX-Machina, and 2001 mixed into this highly original tale of preparing for our exit from earth to a land far away so that we can survive our own destruction of earth. A woman, is alone on a ship, on her way to Celeste, a planet that can/does have life on it already. We are never sure what her mission really is and that is ok. For reasons made clear early, she has been alone on the ship for 20 years, she is 21 or so years old, how she was cared for as an infant is never really made clear, but its a plot hole very few will take notice of.

Anyway, the time has come for her to get her oxygen fixed which is really code for needed her computer upgraded. Why they cant do this from outside of the ship, is never explained either. However, again, you don't care. Insert hunk of a man who comes to fix the computer. She is immediately smitten with him, as she has not ever really seen another human before, and he is a male. Need I say more.

After a one nighter he leaves, and I guess falls for her. This is where the story sorta falls apart. Their relationship never builds up to what it becomes later in the 3rd act, so the fact that the sacrifices that are made at the end are not earned, we don't really care and thus, forced. With so many nice subtle twists in the film earlier, I was hoping it would have gone in another direction, but it went FULL HOLLYWOOD and thus derailing what could have been interesting and a nice thought film on the future of our species. Instead it chose cliché over substance. Dooming it. Still, there is a lot of nice things about the film, performances, (other than the token evil American) the directing and effects all work really well. Its unfortunate the 3rd act ruins the film.

Twenty minutes in, there is a twist that was kind of obvious. Without spoiling it, it is something that has been done before with various degrees of success, but never caught on. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't move too far from this point on and doesn't bring anything new to the table regarding this particular subgenre. Clara Lago is really beautiful, but there is nothing she could have done to improve on the story. In the end, it feels like a way too long anthology series episode, one idea that has not really taken off as a full movie. The film is well done, the acting is good, my only problem is the simplicity of the plot.

Firstly, do not watch the trailer. Its spoils a plottwist, the movie isnt really about this plottwist, but its still a shame.

I would like to say, that Im very very impressed with the visuals and photography of this movie given the tiny budget. Bravo! The acting is also good as well as the story. It gives some light Ex-machina, HER, and MOON vibe's story wise. And the 3%, vibe's filmography wise.

There are however some very weird decisions made by the characters halfway trough the movie. Which cause problems which could have been avoided if the characters would have just communicated. Its like they did not know how to further the plot, and just decided to make someone do something stupid for no reason whatsoever a few times in a row. I personally find this very jarring.

There are also some weird actions which seem to not fit the character or institutions taking them. Im still figuring out why.

These 2 issues are however small blemishes on an otherwise great movie.

I really enjoyed this movie, even though the ending was a bit too contrived and bittersweet.

I recommend giving it a shot if you like scifi Spanish movies similar to say, 'Mirage' or are a fan of the twilight zone/black mirror/the outer limits type stories.