i havent had the chance to read the book yet, but ive already ordered it.
i went into this completely blind – didnt read any reviews, didnt watch breakdowns, didnt even check the genre. all i knew was: space, some kind of catastrophe. i saw the teaser and the fact that ryan gosling was in it – and that was enough for me.
i had zero expectations, but i ended up really liking the final result. at the beginning it felt a bit cringey at times because of how awkward the main character, ryland grace, is. still wondering if it was intentional to cast an actor whose name sounds so similar to the character's...
the story is told through two timelines – past and present – which keeps things engaging and gradually clears up whats going on. the transitions between them were especially well done: sharp, unexpected, but very natural. you could feel the whole theater reacting – either laughing out loud or letting out a quiet sigh.
overall, the editing is careful and well-paced, so the movie stays engaging even though its a full 3 hours long. no real chance to zone out or step away without missing something important.
the music fits the atmosphere perfectly and really enhances it. i caught myself tapping my foot during lighter moments, and in the tense ones id just freeze – even forgetting about the popcorn i was chewing.
lets start with my favorite part of the movie – the alien, rocky.
honestly, hes so well done and so endearing that i got attached to him like to a pet and a best friend at the same time. some of their scenes with grace genuinely made me tear up.
im usually not a fan of how cgi aliens look - they often feel generic or just off. but this is a completely different case. hes not some green big-headed creature with black eyes, but more like a strange rocky being that, at first, weirdly reminded me of a golden retriever. especially in those moments where he keeps invading graces personal space with his "hey, grace, friend."
their whole dynamic – the communication, the jokes, even those weird little "dance" moments – it all works incredibly well. im not even sure if the movie is officially a comedy, but i laughed way more than i expected.
also, i really appreciate that they didnt force a pointless romantic subplot into the story. ill admit, i got a bit worried when they started bringing up the topic of relationships, but thankfully it didnt turn into cheesy flashbacks about some random love interest.
theres something special about how the film portrays such a strong bond between a human and an alien – especially when even basic communication between them is difficult without proper tools. feels like theres some deeper symbolism there, though id need more time to fully put it into words.
the movie keeps you tense throughout. even though there arent many shocking twists and the plot is fairly predictable, it still feels stressful in a good way – mostly thanks to the atmosphere and cinematography.
there was one moment where it was physically hard to watch: rapid cuts with intense flashing red lights made me feel slightly nauseous and dizzy. at first i didnt like that choice, but thinking about it later, it actually does a great job of putting you into that state of panic and anxiety.
a few quick notes i jotted down:
the cgi overall was really solid. not like the final battle in «stranger things», where everything turns into an obvious green-screen mess. the zero-gravity scenes were especially fun to watch.
at the beginning, i got some portal vibes – that same feeling of waking up in a sterile, futuristic environment. //if you know, you know.
the jumpscare genuinely caught me off guard. i was already relaxed and not expecting anything loud, so it hit harder than it should have. for a second, i even thought the movie might lean into something like «alien».
i do have some questions, though. how did the main character adapt to the ship so quickly if he was sent there against his will and kept in a coma beforehand? why him specifically – a school teacher – instead of other scientists? what exactly happened to the rest of the crew, and why did only he survive?
maybe the book explains it, or maybe i just missed something while opening my drink.
another thought i had going in blind: for a while i genuinely thought rocky might be a hallucination caused by isolation, and that grace was slowly losing his mind.
grace is alone. rocky is alone. theyre from completely different worlds, with nothing in common – yet they have each other.
grace wasnt really accepted on earth and was basically used as a test subject, but he still did what he was sent out to do. he saved a planet that doesnt even know who he is.
he found someone worth being brave for – a strange alien made of rock.
if youre not accepted on your own planet, maybe you can still find one where you will be.
for me, out of all space movies, this is easily one of the most comforting ones. ill definitely rewatch it, and id recommend it.
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