Thursday, January 5, 2017

Passengers


I knew Passengers was getting mixed-to-bad reviews, but I really like Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, so I decided to see it anyway. As it turns out, it was a pretty solid film-- the performances are great and the plot, about two people waking up 90 years early on an interstellar trip, is thought-provoking.

I should mention up front that I believe the previews for this film are misleading. In one of the trailers, Chris Pratt's character says, "There is a reason we woke up early." That line is no where in the film, and it implies a certain twist or mystery that doesn't quite figure into the story. In fact, I don't think this film has any real twists. One of the things I liked about it is how it lays things out step-by-step lets us watch the consequences unfold.

The crux of the story revolves not around the ship's malfunctions or any cosmic machinations, but rather around an extremely selfish act performed by one of the main characters. It informs all of their interactions going forward, even when things get weird. I really enjoyed the ethical dilemma and the questions it raised, and I was a bit shocked to find out afterward that this was the source of many bad reviews-- many believe that the film doesn't handle the issue with enough gravity. All I can say is that the characters seem to act in a plausible way under extraordinary circumstances.

Sci-Fi fans should also know going in that Passengers is not really about the special effects, even though there are some good visual moments. After seeing Passengers and Rogue One within a couple days of each other, it really highlights how much Science Fiction isn't a genre so much a medium or setting. Star Wars is an adventure serial, Arrival is about witnessing the impossible, Inception is a psychological mystery, and Passengers is a meditation on loneliness. 

I enjoyed Passengers. There's probably a more sophisticated take on the same material, but some films are good not for the answers they give, but for the questions they ask. I suggest bringing a friend of a different gender and going out for coffee afterwards to discuss.

I'm interested in hearing opinions about Passenger's central conflict in the comments section, so anyone reading beyond the review, please consider the comments section a spoiler zone.

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