Ad Astra (4 Stars)

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to see this film or not. My friends had differing opinions about the film. The trailers which I saw in the cinema made it look like a cross between "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Interstellar". This afternoon my daughter said she wanted to see "Ad Astra" with me, and I spontaneously agreed. I'm glad I did. To my great surprise, the film had more in common with "Heart of Darkness" than "2001". Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against "2001", but in my opinion there's only one Stanley Kubrick.

Brad Pitt plays Roy McBride, an emotionless, efficient astronaut in the near future. I emphasise the words "in the near future". Too many films make the mistake of naming an exact year five, ten or 20 years in the future, not planning for the eventuality that the films will still be popular after this date. "Ad Astra" will still take place in the near future, even if I watch it 20 years from now. In this near future there are large settlements on the Moon and smaller communities on Mars. Roy's father, Clifford McBride, was a great explorer who travelled as far as Neptune, but he never returned from this mission and is assumed dead.

There are repeated power surges that cause electrical malfunctions. Roy is selected for a top secret mission to solve the problem. The authorities believe that Clifford McBride is still alive and is somehow responsible for the power surges.

From here, Roy embarks on a meandering journey from the Earth to Neptune, via the Moon and Mars, encountering various problems on the way.

About halfway through the film I began to notice the similarities with "Heart of Darkness". I thought that it might just be coincidental, but when I got home I read that the director has told reporters that "Ad Astra" is based on "Heart of Darkness". Outer space is an appropriate place for the story to be relocated.

I can understand why not everyone likes the film. With the exception of a few action scenes it moves slowly, and Roy McBride's cold nature might not appeal to everyone. I find this is exactly what makes the film enjoyable. In Roy's character arc he slowly learns to accept and express his emotions. This is a powerful film with competent acting by Brad Pitt and all the minor actors.