January 17, 2024
FILM: I.S.S.
DIRECTED BY: GABRIELA COWPERTHWAITE
STARRING: ARIANA DEBOSE, CHRIS MESSINA, JOHN GALLAGHER JR.
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
In I.S.S. Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) plays Dr. Kira Foster, one of the new U.S. hires to work on the International Space Station. There is solid camaraderie on board between Foster, her U.S. cohorts Gordon Barrett (Chris Messina) and Christian Campbell (John Gallagher Jr.), and the three Russian astronauts who are also stationed there. In fact, they laugh, drink, and tell stories as if they are a bunch of friends hanging out at a cabin in the woods. But then tragedy strikes as a war is declared on Earth between the U.S. and Russia. Now they must survive in a battle to take control over the station for their respective countries.
The premise is an interesting and relevant one given the strained relations between the countries in the past few years. Whether the film provides a true representation of I.S.S. relationships in space is hard to say. Certainly the friendly connections they’ve all made in the context of this film are supremely tested. At first we don’t know if the Russians have received the same message about taking over the I.S.S. as the U.S. has. We assume so but it does create some tension between the characters and it’s initially not clear where allegiances lie. This could have been a bigger part of the film to sustain the tension though but that’s now how the narrative develops. Of course, the conflicts are not only between each astronaut’s countries but also within the two threesomes.
Generally suspense builds slowly and perhaps too lightly for those expecting some real action in space. There are plenty of visual reminders of better films such as Gravity and Alien that more effectively capture crises on board and outside spaceships. Still, this is it’s own unique, lower budget version of those types of science fiction thrillers. That’s not too say this isn’t a good film it is just lacking a bit of excitement. There are a few dialogue scenes between characters that are a bit longer than necessary even if they do provide some much needed exposition. The special effects are generally serviceable to the story. For instance, we see the actors in motion floating through much of the film. This effect appears pretty realistically created, as does the computer-generated replica of the actual I.S.S.
The actors themselves are fine for what they are given to do. Ariana De Bose is initially quite reserved here compared to what she obviously did in West Side Story but she emits plenty of subtle emotions to create a character that internally grows and becomes a major force within the on board struggle. Chris Messina has some interesting and powerful scenes as Gordon and John Gallagher Jr. plays Christian as a bit unhinged and creepy. Masha Mashkova is very good as the lone Russian female astronaut Nika. It’s also great to see Costa Ronin who previously made a splash on television’s The Americans. His part is underwritten though and thus the actor’s talents are a bit wasted.
The story is less about the war happening on Earth than on what transpires between these previously friendly coworkers. As such it questions, in a somewhat predictable fashion, if friends can become enemies in a time of war or if it’s still possible to maintain a sense of friendship and humanity while working together at such a dark hour.
I.S.S. opens theatrically this week.
FILM: I.S.S.
DIRECTED BY: GABRIELA COWPERTHWAITE
STARRING: ARIANA DEBOSE, CHRIS MESSINA, JOHN GALLAGHER JR.
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
In I.S.S. Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) plays Dr. Kira Foster, one of the new U.S. hires to work on the International Space Station. There is solid camaraderie on board between Foster, her U.S. cohorts Gordon Barrett (Chris Messina) and Christian Campbell (John Gallagher Jr.), and the three Russian astronauts who are also stationed there. In fact, they laugh, drink, and tell stories as if they are a bunch of friends hanging out at a cabin in the woods. But then tragedy strikes as a war is declared on Earth between the U.S. and Russia. Now they must survive in a battle to take control over the station for their respective countries.
The premise is an interesting and relevant one given the strained relations between the countries in the past few years. Whether the film provides a true representation of I.S.S. relationships in space is hard to say. Certainly the friendly connections they’ve all made in the context of this film are supremely tested. At first we don’t know if the Russians have received the same message about taking over the I.S.S. as the U.S. has. We assume so but it does create some tension between the characters and it’s initially not clear where allegiances lie. This could have been a bigger part of the film to sustain the tension though but that’s now how the narrative develops. Of course, the conflicts are not only between each astronaut’s countries but also within the two threesomes.
Generally suspense builds slowly and perhaps too lightly for those expecting some real action in space. There are plenty of visual reminders of better films such as Gravity and Alien that more effectively capture crises on board and outside spaceships. Still, this is it’s own unique, lower budget version of those types of science fiction thrillers. That’s not too say this isn’t a good film it is just lacking a bit of excitement. There are a few dialogue scenes between characters that are a bit longer than necessary even if they do provide some much needed exposition. The special effects are generally serviceable to the story. For instance, we see the actors in motion floating through much of the film. This effect appears pretty realistically created, as does the computer-generated replica of the actual I.S.S.
The actors themselves are fine for what they are given to do. Ariana De Bose is initially quite reserved here compared to what she obviously did in West Side Story but she emits plenty of subtle emotions to create a character that internally grows and becomes a major force within the on board struggle. Chris Messina has some interesting and powerful scenes as Gordon and John Gallagher Jr. plays Christian as a bit unhinged and creepy. Masha Mashkova is very good as the lone Russian female astronaut Nika. It’s also great to see Costa Ronin who previously made a splash on television’s The Americans. His part is underwritten though and thus the actor’s talents are a bit wasted.
The story is less about the war happening on Earth than on what transpires between these previously friendly coworkers. As such it questions, in a somewhat predictable fashion, if friends can become enemies in a time of war or if it’s still possible to maintain a sense of friendship and humanity while working together at such a dark hour.
I.S.S. opens theatrically this week.