Ad Astra takes place in the near future and focuses on Major Roy McBride - played by Brad Pitt - who is investigating a major power surge in Earth’s Solar System that will affect all life on Earth. He’s told that the project is linked to something known as the Lima Project, which is father Clifford - played by Tommy Lee Jones - worked on years ago to search for intelligent life off earth, and resulted in his disappearance. When Roy is told Clifford may still be alive, he goes on a mission to search for his father, which helps him in turn learn a lot more about himself.
Despite featuring two of the four leads from Space Cowboys - Jones and Donald Sutherland - unlike that film, Ad Astra is not a rollicking space romp with grand action set pieces. That’s not to say that the film completely lacks action, or isn’t intense. There are quite a few moments in this film that are genuinely pulse-pounding. There are scenes of characters getting attacked or ambushed, as well as an explosive, visually stunning opening sequence in space that will leave a giant knot in one’s stomach by the end of it.
However, despite some well-done action set pieces, Ad Astra is more of a reflective character study. It’s a slow, somber film that feels almost completely cynical in its views, almost to a fault, as it’s rare to see anyone crack a smile in this film. It’s overall feel is meditative, as it takes its time moving from major set piece to major set piece. It’s less of a straightforward sci-fi adventure and more of a character drama that just happens to take place in space.
Because at the heart of this movie is the exploration of relationships, and mainly that of a father and son. A lot of the driving force behind this film’s plot is the relationship between Roy and Clifford, and how that relationship affects the rest of Roy’s life. And that characterization is established very well, especially given the fact that the two only share so much screen time together. Roy spends certain moments throughout the film listening to audio recordings of his father and watching old videos of him, including messages Clifford specifically sent him.
And even though they’re technically not together in these moments, the way in which Jones delivers each of his lines, and the way in which Pitt reacts to them, it feels like they’re right next to one another, and that connection is immediately felt by the audience. Part of what sells the believability of these sequences is Pitt’s incredibly subtle acting, giving what is easily one of his best performances. He doesn’t say much throughout the film, and a lot of his emotion is conveyed through his facial expressions, and he absolutely nails just how much of a caring individual he is, and how much he really loves his father.
Considering that Pitt’s character is mostly isolated and shut off from others through most of this film, the way in which the audience is able to better connect with him is through voiceover. While voiceover work is generally frowned upon in film, as it goes against the whole idea of “show, don’t tell,” in this film, it compliments much of the action nicely. Most of the time voiceover is utilized is during sequences in which not much is said in the scene, and is more an examination of how Roy processes information, rather than him just explaining things to the audience that they already know. In this instance, voiceover is part of the glue that holds this film up nicely.
And while Roy is going on a mostly solo adventure in the vast depths of space, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything pleasant to look at while he’s on the journey. One of this film’s biggest strengths is without a doubt its visuals. Many of the sequences deep in the heart of space are breathtaking, with some masterful shots and a droning score that gives this lingering sense of dread any time Roy steps foot into uncharted territory. While the film doesn’t have a major antagonist, James Gray’s direction is so wonderful and encompasses the desolate feel of space travel, that it feels like space itself is a conscious entity and the antagonist of this film.
And what’s great about the film is that it’s so visually stunning and so wonderfully acted that it becomes so easy to forget that there aren’t exactly a ton of major dramatic beats in this film. Technically, not a whole lot happens in this film and it does take its time moving things along. But for the most part, the run time is rarely ever felt, as one’s more concerned with just getting lost in the vast tundra of space or caring about what Pitt may say or do next. There are a couple of sequences here and there that maybe cut have been cut down, more so in the second act as Roy spends some time deep in thought a bit longer than he should. But otherwise, the pacing is masked perfectly.
The only other noticeable issue the film has is the inclusion of Liv Tyler as Roy’s wife, Eve. One of the film’s major themes is not only Roy’s relationship to his father, but its affects on those in his life who are around him, including his wife. Yet, Eve is only seen for a total of what has to be five minutes in the film, if that at all. She’s seen quickly in some sporadic shots, but not much is really known about her. In fact, her significance isn’t really mentioned until halfway through the film, and she feels more like an afterthought. While it may be part of the point that the two were distant, it would have been nice to see this relationship touched upon just a bit more.
Ad Astra isn’t exactly the happiest of experiences, but it’s still an incredibly emotional character study that mesmerizes the viewer almost from the get-go with its themes of familial relationships. It doesn’t move at the quick pace as most space epics move, but it’s still engaging thanks to some truly masterful cinematography and gorgeous set pieces. And at the heart of the film, contains one of the finest performances on screen this year, with some of Brad Pitt’s best work ever captured on film, finding him at his most subtle, yet still powerful. It’s a different type of space movie, but one that shouldn’t be missed.
Recommendation: Watch It
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