Ad Astra Review – Innovative Space Program Film Delivers

Details
Category: Film
Published on Thursday, 19 September 2019 16:38
Written by Janet Walker

Ad Astra, from Plan B Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox, brings to the screen the story of intergalactic travel circa 2050 and an unprecedented cosmic interruption that sends extraordinary power surges with catastrophic results hurling toward earth.

Directed and co-written by James Gray, Ad Astra stars Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, Liv Tyler, Ruth Negga, Anne McDaniels, Hiszka Kuza, John Ortiz, Greg Bryk, Kimberly Elise, Loren Dean, John Finn, Kayla Adams, Donnie Kershawarz, Justin Dray, Sasha Compere and Vivian Fleming-Alvarez. Ad Astra is also co-written by Ethan Gross.

Don’t Let Go Review – Mind Bending Psychological Thriller Delivers

The film begins with Roy McBride, played by Brad Pitt, explaining his current psychological condition via a connection made through a sensor worn on the skin that reads his vitals and the evaluator listening through a medical app for key indicators of problematic or unstable behaviors.

The assessment is accepted. His life, outside of his dedication to NASA and the continued search for intelligent life in the universe, is falling apart. His wife Eve, played by Liv Tyler, is leaving. His father, H. Clifford McBride, played by Tommy Lee Jones a decorated NASA astronaut who traveled to the furthest points in the known universe in an effort to find intelligent life and was lost in the mission and never returned.

His task today, of which he received clearance, is repair work on the intelligence towers built to reach to the edge of the atmosphere. McBride is part of a team of astronauts who work systems repair similar to any space mission. He steps out onto the tower's ladder, is in constant contact with the ground crew, tethers himself as the towers are literally at the Karman line, the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space.

Before You Know It Review – Perfect, Authentic, Genuine, Captivating

Suddenly an electronic surge sends a current of unprecedented strength, the electrical force travels on a downward trajectory exploding the transformers with such force it knocks the astronauts repairing the signal towers off and sends them hurtling toward the ground.

Tumbling through the upper levels of the atmosphere, plummeting, picking up speed, out-of-control, McBride reaches about 10,000 feet and pulls the ripcord on his parachute and slowly the uncontrolled nosedive stops. He is found unconscious on the ground.

In the hospital, Eve explains it is called "The Surge," and it is causing chaos around the world. The news in the background attempts to offer insight into the unexplainable.

McBride is summoned to meet with the NASA brass, for both a debrief and a new mission. As the conversation begins, the two men, Lieutenant General Rivas, played by John Ortiz, and Brigadier General Stroud, played by John Finn present Top Secret sensitive information on "The Surge."

Spider in the Web Review - Sir Ben Kingsley Add Intrigue to the Contemporary Espionage Drama

As the information is sketchy and unexplainable, the two men begin to ask him about The Lima Project manned by H. Clifford McBride tasked to travel to the furthest point in the universe and determine if intelligent life exists. Unfortunately, as we all known McBride Sr., died and his ship never returned. He was and is considered a hero to all.

The mission, as it is explained, is to travel to the moon and then to Mars to send out signals to be transmitted to deep space in the hopes of reaching his father, whom they believe is alive.

McBride agrees to participate and is given a chaperone, Thomas Pruitt, played by Donald Sutherland, a former astronaut who flew missions with his father.

As they make it to the Moon, we are given a glimpse into what many see as the future of space travel, and colonization. Citizens engaged in intergalactic travel for business or pleasure. The terminals are reminiscent of any large-scale earth-based airport, kiosks offering today's news, fast food restaurants, and all amenities needed to make ones stay enjoyable.

This is where Ad Astra moves into the second act. The film is very interesting and with the plot twists and technological advancements both on earth and in space. The storyline, which is not predictable, is fascinating.

Without giving away any of the subplots, I want to mention the scene from the Norwegian space lab which included primates. It grabs the attention and is shocking.

Official Secrets Review - Engaging Edge of Your Seat Espionage Thriller

Ad Astra begins slowly, methodically, as one would expect in the military or space agency with each detail reviewed. There is no big WOW bouncing off the screen in the beginning.

The Roy McBride character is written in such a way that he is intentionally emotionless. He is methodical, systematic, he gets the job done, correctly, every time. He is a hero. Cool under pressure, able to relay conditions without panic.

After "The Surge," the film begins a build up and when it moves into the second act, it is an edge of the seat thriller and the cast delivers solid performances.   As space is the unknown, limitless, and now colonized, the good with the evil as the high seas, pirates at every turn and only one-way home.

Ad Astra projects the beginnings of what many say is the not too distant future. It is inventive, shocking, with surprising plot twists, turns. The visual effects are stunning with imaginative plot development and creativity.

Ad Astra opens September 20, 2019. See it and see the future.

Haute News

Haute Tease

  • The Shape of Water Review – A Wild, Fantastical, Journey

    The Shape of Water, from Fox Searchlight Pictures, brings to the screen a fantastical story of awakenings, of emotional stirrings, unbridled passions and unrestrained power, of the improbable becoming probable, of fantasy becoming reality, of hopeless becoming hopeful.

     

  • Mom Charged in Newborn’s Homicide

    Amanda Catherine Hein, 26, recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy in the bathroom of a local Bethlehem, Pennsylvania sports bar and promptly smothered him to death and stuffed his remains in the toilet tank.

     

  • Home, Décor: Three Interesting Ways Lighting Can Affect Your Mood

    Light is often an overlooked part of a room that you can easily change. Lighting is a detail that will help you curate your home or business. Consider these three interesting ways lighting can affect your mood.

     

  • De L’humilité En Politique

    L’avis émis par le Conseil d’État sur la réforme des retraites interroge tant sur le contenu du texte proposé que sur la méthode employée par l’exécutif. Et le Président de la République de jouer avec le lien fragile qui l’unissait aux Français.

     

  • Adventures on the Queen Mary Review - Stunning, Beautiful, A Must Have

    Adventures on the Queen Mary, by Dave Wooders with James Radford, a book for those who have dreamed of traveling the high seas, in all the style of a bygone era and the opulence of the Queens luxury.

     

  • Money News: Bull Markets Return; American, Europe, Asian Markets Close Up

    The DOW Jones Industrial Average pitched and rallied throughout the week as did the top ten watched markets with nearly all managing to get up under September’s heavy losses and run with the bull earning solid gains across the board.