After a remarkable directorial debut of his film Arctic starring Mads Mikkelsen, director Joe Penna has another survival adventure for audiences to embark on. With a strong cast leading the film with the likes of Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette the film has enough to get audiences interested. Penna’s film is centered around a three-person crew on an important mission to Mars, but face the worst and are forced to make an unthinkable decision when an unexpected stowaway, Michael (Shamiar Anderson) endangers their lives.
There are pacing issues that make it engaging enough as the film tried to, but the plot alone is intriguing. There was a clear focus on what Penna and writer Ryan Morrison, who also wrote the script with Penna, wanted to share about their story but did not focus on pacing. There are a few instances where some audiences might not find themselves fully invested. Little happens where the matter of life or death is at stake forcing these characters to deal with while being isolated. Credit can be given to the production designer who was able to realistically create a tight, enclosed environment.
As the film features a diverse cast, the performances were committed and they bonded nicely during emotional scenes yet their characters don’t stand out. Performances from Kendrick and Anderson stand out sharing excellent scenes together addressing what matters at hand including a scene by Kendrick’s character retelling an event she experienced. The film doesn’t show clearly how Anderson’s character became a stowaway.
Immediately engaging the audience, the film opens with the crew blasting off into space to begin their mission. The film’s runtime is almost two hours long as a good 30 minutes could have been cut down as the ending is rushed leading to a predictable conclusion. Not a space classic the film certainly missed the mark to tell a thrilling and gripping adventure. It is a poorly paced and lukewarm film that makes audiences want to return to earth. Optional.