‘Ad Astra’ means “to the stars” in Latin. It is a new sci-fi epic that will be compared to Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece ‘2001: A Space Odyssey.’ In actuality, it contains more similarities to Francis Ford Coppola’s classic ‘Apocalypse Now.’ It never reaches the heights of these two films but it is an impressive, thought-provoking science fiction movie in its own right. Why is space travel important to mankind? Director James Gray (The Lost City of Z) explores this through matinee-idol turned astronaut Brad Pitt. Beyond the stunning cinematography, this is a film that relies heavily on his strong performance. ‘Ad Astra’ is an extraordinary film that uses space exploration to make us look inward at humanity.
Astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) says early in the film, “I will not rely on anyone or anything. I will not be vulnerable to mistakes.” After he survives a high-altitude fall from an “International Space Antenna,” he is called in for a debriefing by his superiors. They want him to accept a mission to Neptune to investigate a series of destructive cosmic bursts that has the potential to destroy the solar system and Earth. McBride is stoic and a perfect candidate for the job. His heart rate has never risen above 80 BPM. The mystery behind this mission is what happened during The Lima Project and whether it is tied to the powerful energy surges. McBride’s father H. Clifford (Tommy Lee Jones) was the astronaut who led the doomed project.
It is fascinating how space travel is depicted in the film. It’s never too glossy or too dystopian. There are capitalistic influences everywhere. The first leg of the trip is to the Moon. McBride travels on a spacecraft owned by Virgin Atlantic. He asks the flight attendant for a pillow and blanket. That will cost him $125. He leaves a wife behind played by Liv Tyler. We don’t know much about their backstory but it is an estranged relationship. It makes sense since he spends so much time away from her in the solitude of space. Another nuance is how he speaks into an A.I. computer that analyzes his emotional state as to whether he is stable enough to continue with the mission. At first he is emotionally attached but we all know that humans are not cold machines without feelings.
You might get the impression that the movie is filled with slow-burning moments of Pitt floating in space. You are correct! This is not your traditional science fiction movie with epic space battles. The pacing is peppered with suspenseful action sequences. I don’t want to give away any spoilers. Let’s just say, there is a thrilling chase scene on the surface of the Moon. When he arrives on Mars, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar) changes the hues of the planet to fit its unique and dreamlike qualities. There is a telling scene with Ruth Negga as commander of the Mars base. McBride continues his journey to the outer reaches of space, the planet Neptune.
Of course, McBride’s ultimate quest is to try to get closer to his father. His father is a legendary astronaut that isolated himself from his family. McBride is afraid that he is repeating the same mistakes his father made when he was growing up. Pitt carries this film on his shoulders. There are many close-up shots of him. He has proven that he is more than just another pretty face in Hollywood. When he is traveling in space, you feel his loneliness and isolation. He is the contemplative everyman. Space travel is not all it is cracked up to be. We are drawn to space exploration while we still have many problems here at home. It’s also disheartening to know that Subway and Applebee’s are now restaurants on the Moon. Somebody pass the Tang, please!
One of the final lines uttered is “We’re all we’ve got.” The film posits that maybe we’re looking for hope in the wrong direction. Instead of looking outward to the universe, we need to look inward at humanity. There’s a beautiful shot of Earth from the Moon in the film. It reminds us how fragile and stunning the Big Blue Marble actually is. ‘Ad Astra’ is a stirring space epic that makes you appreciate how special Earth is among the vast universe.
