Ad Astra (2019)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2019
	Director: James Gray
	Actors: Brad Pitt (World War Z, Fight Club), Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black 1-3, The Fugitive), Ruth Negga (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV-series)
	Country: USA
	Genre: SF
	Conditions of visioning: 20.02.2020, in-flight entertainment, 10" tablet screen.
Synopsis: Astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) undertakes a mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father and his doomed expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the Earth.
Review: "Realistic" Solar system exploration is trendy in Cinema and TV those days: Europa Report, Gravity, Interstellar, The Martian, Ascension, The Expanse, MARS. Mind the quotes around "realistic". I like the title of the movie (meaning "to the Stars") and what it is trying to accomplish: showing us a society where mankind is advancing towards Space. It even mentions the Space Corps, the kind of military entity that has been recently created in several countries to protect their interests in Space, and protect those countries from threats from above. The Universe of Ad Astra borrows from (or reminds of, I don't know who came first) The Expanse, with its solar system engulfed in conflicts. It also reminds of the excellent graphic novel Universal War. The large budget permits good special effects, the opening scene in particular is stunning, a pity I missed this movie release in theaters. The cold-blooded character of Roy McBride is also interesting and of course excellently played by Brad Pitt: he can really convey the emotions of this rather cool-tempered hero. I really like the movie until the arrival and discovery on Mars, even though the Science is more and more out the window (travel times, pirates on the Moon...) and it suffers from a mild case of World War Z syndrome (deadly trouble follows the hero wherever he goes but he remains unscathed). I loved to see Donald Sutherland playing a kind of mentor figure, even though for a short time. But I was baffled by the third act: putting aside the fact that Roy survives more and more impossible stunts, the tension going crescendo until then falls completely flat, I was so disappointed that nothing happens, and the morale and final image is so predictible, although I couldn't believe they would do that until the last moment. I understand that the movie is about the journey of the main character into his soul, but it would have been nice that he takes us somewhere with him on this journey. So disappointing.
Rating: 4 /10