Ad Astra

The modern ‘space’ film, the ‘science-fact’ rather than the ‘science-fiction’ variety, has given us much to celebrate in recent times although it’s perilously close to being over-saturated. Despite the overwhelming infinity of space itself the lack of ‘fantasy’ in these films often leaves a frustrating sense of déjà vu as we’re hit with the same themes, characters and performances.

James Gray’s Ad Astra is the latest movie to take off and sits squarely within these limiting and expected parameters. A slow and meditative experience featuring a sullen and solemn lead character (complete with downbeat voiceover) and an exploratory mission featuring some beautiful vistas intermingled with plenty of claustrophobic, tight spaceship scenes.

A film should be judged on its own merits though and not solely within its genre limitations and Ad Astra is actually one of the better space films of recent times. Its science is more palatable than the unnecessarily brain-scrambling Interstellar, it moves faster than the too-stately First Man and its sideways glances and criticisms of where our society could be headed gives it a unique perspective that Gravity and The Martian didn’t possess, despite their more enjoyable nature.

It’s an exceedingly beautiful film with awards nominations surely beckoning for cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema as it strikingly switches style visually as we go from Earth to the Moon, to Mars and, finally, past Jupiter and Saturn to Neptune. This arduous journey is taken by Roy McBride, played in that downbeat yet eminently watchable way that Brad Pitt is so damn good at, as he ventures to seek out his father (an underused but suitably ambiguous and somewhat menacing Tommy Lee Jones) who may or may not be responsible for some Earth-threatening electrical storms.

The plot is fairly thin for a plus-two hour run time but the machinations of the plot, you sense, aren’t quite the point. Gray is more interested in making some pointed political marks (the commercialisation of the Moon being perhaps the film’s standout segment) and also delving deep into Roy’s psyche and articulating the idea of legacy: is a son doomed to repeat the sins of the father?

It uses space as a euphemism for, well, space as Roy explores his failed relationship with his dad. Earth to Neptune is a pretty good descriptor for a long distance relationship.

So whilst it is a methodical, fairly joyless and largely cold film it reaches a payoff that satisfies. It also has some quite funny things to say about the world and even features what may be the first car chase you’ll see on the Moon. Despite this, it doesn’t feel like two films in one and, on reflection, is a largely satisfying watch with a brilliant lead turn from Pitt.

It'll be interesting to see how these films stack up with a bit of distance and hindsight but, for now, Ad Astra just about eclipses its competition (sorry).

4 stars ****