Review: Ad Astra (2019)

Ad Astra (2019)

Ad Astra is a profound film, one that, over time, pulls you further and further into its vast black-hole of philosophical and existential ideas and quandaries. It is that rare, elite-level of science-fiction that viscerally reflects the public consciousness of today. It is as beautiful in its presentation and visuals as it is in its thematic explorations. Though the plot works perfectly well on a surface level it is in its deeper discussion that one will reflect on the film and ponder many questions of life for long after the credits end.

Minor Spoilers Below:

Much credit must be given to director and co-writer, James Gray, for taking on this large-scale and, at the same time, very personal tale. The film takes place in a time when the planet is being hit with interstellar surges that threaten all life on earth. Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) is tasked with traveling to the outer reaches of space to confront the source of these surges, which is a now-dormant spaceship housing the Lima Project whose mission was to explore the possibility of extra-terrestrial life. The Lima Project was captained by Roy's own father (Tommy Lee Jones) - that is, a non-existent father during Roy's upbringing and a man who he has long believed to be dead - but now Roy is informed that there is a possibility that his father may still be alive.

Like Gray's great previous film The Lost City of Z, Ad Astra is another heady story about one discovering truths about themselves as they traverse into the far reaches of the unknown. The film's surface plot of a man, in times of trouble, confronting a father who has abandoned him can be read in a much broader and existential light. Like the global turmoil we as humans find ourselves in today, humankind of Ad Astra is similarly threatened by the ongoing surges hitting the planet. In this way, Roy's quest for answers from his vacant father is similar to the answers some today may be seeking from their faiths and from a God who, like Roy's father, some may argue has abandoned us in this time of need. Yes, these are deep, introspective and difficult ideas to grasp and contend with, but the film tackles them and sheds light on them in compelling and often-beautiful ways. 

High praise must also be given to Brad Pitt. Few films before have been able to garner such a nuanced performance from him - he swaps his usual extroverted bravado for a remarkably subtle and compelling performance. Devoid of any dialogue, many scenes have the camera simply lingering on his face as the ethereal light of the stars highlights the pained emotions he is going through. This film is surely the final piece we required to know that Pitt is one of the greatest actors of our time. 

Ad Astra takes cues from sci-fi stories new and old and crafts a new and moving epic that explores ideas that will be relevant and pressing for humans to contend with for every generation. This film has majesty in its presentation and both Gray and Pitt through it cement themselves as true cinema icons. Ad Astra may not be easy for everyone to get into but for those who do there is a universe of beauty and knowledge to take away from it.