Ad Astra Is An Uneven Space Drama Saved By Brad Pitt's Terrific Performance

       When one thinks of modern day classic space movies, films like Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity and Christopher Nolan's Interstellar come to mind. While those films have their fair share of critics as the receptions to both were divisive, they carried a unique style of filmmaking to their stories. This element made their stories appealing to audiences and ultimately led them both to becoming box office successes in the end while garnering critical acclaim. The fall season brings what hopes to be another thought-provoking and memorable space thriller titled Ad Astra starring Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones. Like those films, Ad Astra places a bankable star in the lead role while basing its story around the theme of a son reconnecting with his father with space being used as a backdrop. Out of the three films mentioned, Astra's plot is the more personal of the three as it carries with it an emotional core to accompany the films impressive visual effects, breathtaking cinematography, and moving score. Despite Ad Astra's attempts and noble desire to reach for the stars in terms of blowing away its audience with its story, it ends up being a somewhat mixed bag as the film comes across as being poetic and entertaining to watch if audiences have the patience to sit through its slow burn pacing, but will also confuse and frustrate others with how little of the stories science and space aspect is explored in exchange for a family melodrama/ psychological character study disguised as a space adventure. Ad Astra is not a terrible film by any means, but its also not the action-packed and intense space adventure audiences expect it to be and ultimately won't please everyone. The film is essentially a psychological drama disguised as a visually stunning sci-fi epic with a story structure, that basically screams comparisons to Apocalypse Now with the setting being in space. In terms of the films released in 2019 thus far, Ad Astra is perhaps one of the boldest attempts to separate itself from the rest of the pack as it not only puts brains over action, but is also guaranteed to inspire a heavily divisive response as audiences will either appreciate what's on the screen or they won't.
                                 

      The plot for Ad Astra takes place in the near future with an experienced astronaut named Roy (Played brilliantly by Brad Pitt) being recruited to undertake a mission to Neptune in order to solve the disappearance regarding his missing father Clifford (Played by Tommy Lee Jones), as well as his doomed expedition to the end of the solar system 30 years prior, which now puts the universe as a whole in jeopardy when a recent power surge threatens humanity. Ad Astra's plot leaves little room for action as the overall film is a character driven story about Brad Pitt's character trying to not only save the galaxy but reconnect with his long lost father who selfishly abandoned him and his mother 30 years prior, leaving the rest of humanity behind so he can live in space while conducting his research. Ad Astra is designed to be an extremely slow-moving story, that allows the audience to get inside the mind of Pitt's character as he journeys deeper into space while questioning his mind frame. The film as a whole serves as a metaphor essentially for the concept of human contact and relationships with the ultimate message being that everyone needs both, even if they are complicated or get in the way of tasks or missions. Ad Astra at its core is an emotional piece of storytelling, that isn't worried about pleasing its audience by compromising with action (There's a shootout in a space capsule, a turf war battle on a moon, and an unscheduled stop that forces a switch up with Roy's crew) nor rushing to get its story finished. At it's heart, it's a film that knows exactly what it wants to be and goes about doing so without regard for anything else. Brad Pitt's character Roy, is the central focus of the film and allows him the opportunity to deliver one of the strongest performances of his career with his performance making the films story believable as well as making audiences empathize with his character. It's a true test ament to an actors talent when they're left with carrying the majority of the film on their shoulders with Astra being a prime example. Pitt sells both the character he's playing as well as the scenario the story presents to the audience. The father-and-son dynamic in the story is the heart and soul of the film, and is what keeps audiences invested in the story on an emotional level (If they can handle Ad Astra's turtle style pacing).

      One of the films greatest strengths lies within it's acting performances with Brad Pitt delivering a strong performance while narrating the audience through the story. He gives them insight into his characters state of mind since he doesn't convey much emotion towards other characters in the film. Pitt does a a very good job of holding the audiences interest even when the story feels like it goes off the rails at times. He plays his character as being calm, cool, collective, and narrates the story in a vein similar to Martin Sheens character in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. When disaster hits, Roy's character learns to adapt and improvise giving his character more knowledge throughout his space journey. The second best performance in the film comes from Tommy Lee Jones as his neglectful father, whose shown to be more focused on his research and exploring the ends of space rather than being a real dad to Pitt's character. Jones brings his A game to the part as usual though his role is only sizeable yet significant. Both actors share strong chemistry together making you believe in their relationship as father and son. The acting performance by Ruth Negga is a worth noting as she plays Helen, one of the Mars space station key figures, who gives Roys character more information regarding his father. Liv Tyler plays Roy's wife and doesn't have much room to grow as a character in this film since the story is focused on Pitt's character, but what she does have (Which is very little to work with), she does a notable job of making you believe that her character loves Roy, but is frustrated that he appears to be focused on other things pertaining to space and searching for his dad. Her character exists to show the audience Roy's weakness in establishing consistent human connection, ultimately giving more proof to his characters instability. Kimberly Elise and Donald Sutherland give solid supporting roles though their characters suffer from the same problem Liv Tyler's character has, neither has much room to develop in terms of character growth and are just present to serve the story. Sutherland plays Colonel Pruitt, an old friend of Roy's father, whose sent along with him on a mission to make sure his son doesn't submit to the father (It's interesting to see both Tommy Lee Jones and Donald Sutherland do another space film together given they both were in 2000's Space Cowboys). Overall the acting performances in the film are strong with Brad Pitt doing a fantastic job of conveying both physical and emotional acting on screen and deserves to be commended for it. A Best Actor Oscar nomination doesn't seem to be out of the realm of possibility for his role as it definitely ranks among being a career best performance.

      In terms of the films directing, filmmaker James Gray and co-writer Ethan Gross do an impressive yet flawed job of putting together a story, that feels as if it can serve as a companion piece to Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity as well as Ridley Scott's The Martian. Gray utilizes key aspects from both movies, that worked very well such as the quiet character moments that Pitt's character has, which parallels Sandra Bullocks character such as the isolation the two characters feel while being trapped in space as well as their attempt to put the past behind them. Gray compliments Pitts performance with top notch cinematography from Hoyte Van Hoytema, that's not only mesmerizing but enhances the visual aspect of the story, placing the audience in space with, Roy while also reminding them that danger is present and can emerge at any second. The camera also focuses on Roy's character, utilizing different angles to showcase Pitt's skillful performance showing all the different emotions his character conveys. As much of a professional that Roy comes across as being at doing his job, his character is human and the moments where his vulnerability shines through when his shield lowers is caught on camera for the audience to witness. The cinematography also gives the whole experience a dream like feel to it with the constant changing of colors in each scene being effective as well as the lack of visibility of other planets and stars in space, adding more layer to the concept of Roy being alienated in space (Or The Abyss to fit the mood of the plot). The editing of the film is uneven serving as one of the films most divisive points in regards to its reception with audiences, as the film offers nothing more than a few action sequences to throw audiences off and help keep them engaged while focusing on the psychological state of Brad Pitt's character, as he longs for the father that's been absent throughout a large portion of his life. Gray does a good job of showing Roy's inability to make much connection with loved ones with an example being the relationship between him and his wife. He shows this aspect of Roy's character through the use of flashbacks, which prove to be effective in terms of fleshing out the story and character further. The films sound effects are top notch along with a suttle yet moving score from Shutter Island's Max Richter. While James Gray is no Alfonso Cuaron nor Ridley Scott in terms of creating a visually stunning set piece, he does a very good job of transporting the audience into space and making Roy's journey a somber and quiet one that's based around reflection.

      Whereas Gravity was a thrilling sci-fi story, that tackled the theme of survival in space as well as emphasizing the strength of the human spirit, The Martian takes the same theme and shows it through a different angle regarding the main characters endurance in his journey towards getting home as well as the comradeship and team effort that brought him home. Ad Astra takes the survival theme and gives it a more intimate portrayal with not Roy's character in need of being rescued but his father. The films screenplay by Gray and Gross tackles humanistic themes such as obsession, heroism, hope, abandonment, self-destructive behavior, anger, father/son relationship, and walls being built in relationships. The human side of the story can best be summed up as one man's journey to rebuild the relationship between him and his father. Roy's psychological state is also played upon throughout the film as his character is shown to have psychological therapy before and after his mission with the film showing both his characters deconstruction and reconstruction as he drifts further into space. The space setting serves as being both a brilliant and strong metaphor for the main characters loneliness, as he lacks the presence of a loved one making his soul feel empty, which parallels the realization that he's stuck in outer space. It's not a coincidence either that the audience can't and don't see many stars or planets other than just pitch black space. The main issue with the father and son dynamic in regards to the films writing, is there isn't a compelling enough reason given as to why Jones character Clifford, felt the need to abandon his family as well as the human race in order to exile himself in deep space. The audience is supposed to care about this dynamic but not much information is given to make them fully invested into the relationship, especially with the films pacing being as slow as it is. The themes that the story touches upon in regards to space are space exploration, lunar travel, and the search for intelligent life. Ad Astra feels similar to Christopher Nolan's Interstellar in terms of it's thematic story structure with the main character being asked to go into space to save mankind while desiring to be with their loved one again after having not seen them for years before their fateful reuniting in the films third act. The stories almost directly parallel each other with the main difference being Ad Astra lacks the wow factor of that film. Interstellar was slow-paced like Ad Astra and a much longer movie clocking in at nearly three hours. but its story kept you engaged due to Nolan beautifully setting up that films plot and characters so the audience became invested in both right from the start. That film centered it's plot around uncovering the mysteries of space in a way which felt intimate and gave the audience the feeling they were going into space with the characters. Ad Astra gives that feeling of being in space, but also feels like it pays homage to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey with not just it's handling of the isolation of space but utilizes it's themes regarding the main characters questionable mental state, the whole scenario of a mission-gone-wrong, and how it showcases moments of crazy space visuals as well as the introduction of bizarre space creatures, such as the scene where Roy's crew is attacked by a Baboon creature in space. Out of all the movies that Ad Astra bears strong similarities to, Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece is film it aspires to be and only gets halfway there.

      Ad Astra is not a failure when one looks at the whole picture, it just feels like it's missing key things that would make it an even stronger film had James Gray elaborated on the story more. There isn't much character development in this film besides the psychological evaluation that audiences are subjected to give Roy's character outside of the minor characters examining him in the film. On a visual note, the film is top notch with great cinematography, impressive visual effects, scenery that places the audience on the shuttle with Roy's character, and a performance from Brad Pitt which ranks among being one of his strongest in years. At the core of the film. Ad Astra is a deep and thought-provoking story, that works best as a character study, which just happens to be a big budget science fiction film. The movie is not meant for everyone and will divide audiences with the lack of action happening within its plot, but the ones willing to give the film their time and patience will realize that the film has something to offer as a sentimental message regarding human relationships and the need to be connected with people whether the outcome is good or bad. The film shows the power as well as the influence a parent can have over their child even when they aren't present in their life. Ad Astra is not a conventional science fiction adventure, as it basically uses the space setting as a backdrop for a personal family drama. Not all fans of Sci-fi will be pleased as the films slow-pacing and emphasis on the father-and-son dynamic doesn't leave much room for exploration of the films science, but the film at it's core has a heart and was made as a homage to classic cinematic masterpieces such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now with Roy's father representing Colonel Kurtz with him assigned to retrieve him. If one is looking for a science fiction adventure that's briskly paced and will leave them at the edge of their seat questioning what's next, they should skip this and rent Gravity instead to fulfill their needs for being thrilled. If one wants a quieter, somber tale which serves as being a psychological examination of the main character as well as a hard-hitting message about one needing family in their life then Ad Astra is worth watching. The film is not perfect, but it dares to be different than most movies released nowadays, and that's worth acknowledging along with Pitt delivering one of his best performances yet.

Final Verdict: If you want fast-paced action or space thrills with a healthy dose of science thrown into the mix, watch Gravity instead or Interstellar. If you want an emotional journey disguised as a space movie with great performances, thought-provoking themes with a visual flare to it, Ad Astra is worth the watch.