PrimeWire

As a writer I’m so disappointed with this film. It had the makings of a thought-provoking highly engaging character piece that one would go back to analyse over and over again. But instead it lacked believability and therefore credibility draining all the conflict and drama before it reached it’s predictable apex.

The film was shot well - brilliantly even. That was very believable and beautiful and awe-some! Ironically the expanse of the space outside created a close intimate even cramped feeling on the inside. Like their initial dilemma (a rather interesting one at that), human presence was inescapable and the actors portrayed this wonderfully plainly… And then they dropped the oxygen tank so to speak.

There was certainly enough conflict to keep you locked in right up until the moment they took some creative license with the laws of gravity (which even in acceptable sci-fi circles was lacking deftness and seemed down right lazy) and then there was the apparent “highly trained” personnel not anchoring themselves TO ANYTHING?! WTF?! Talk about pre-determined manipulative twisting of a plot! Whatever happened to listening to where the story wants to take you?! The writers seemed so hell bent on pulling on our heartstrings that they didn’t stop to think… at all, and as a result, punctured a whole in the bubble of drama and left us all gasping for logic! In my opinion, there were a myriad of interesting avenues the plot could have been taken to but instead, slovenly, they chose the easiest most predictable route and let the life-giving canister fall and let the obvious one die in a manner that could’ve been avoided with the fledgling wit of a below average 13-year old school boy. I wasn’t convinced by the bond between Zoe and Michael nor Zoe’s motivation to self-sacrifice. Her character was lacking something there - Anna Kendrick did what she could with a weak backstory. Kim and Marina were both sound characters.

I’m insulted by the fact they thought we wouldn’t notice no one was tied to anything in those last few critical scenes. The writers killed this film with what seems to be either contempt for their audience or laziness. Could even be both. I’m shocked no one flagged it. Gees, even Toni Collette could’ve put her hand up - she’s more than equipped to see a glaring gap like that. I’ll be sure to check reviews before watching anything from these two again.

Cinematography: 5/5
Acting: 4/5
Writing: -1/5 (could have been 4 or 5 but this degree of laziness deserves a smack in the piemal).
Total: 2.6