I.S.S. International Space Station (2024)

[BluBonnet]

‘I.S.S.’ Review: Ariana DeBose Leads Astronaut Crew In Tension-Filled Sci-Fi Thriller

In the expanding universe that is science fiction cinema, I.S.S. (International Space Station) directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and penned by Nick Shafir makes a solid new entry into the genre. While the performances from its stars, Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr, Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin and Pilou Asbæk, are rather stiff, at its heart, I.S.S. is an imaginative yet bare-bones thriller that makes an impact with its limited space and budget.

Dr. Kira Foster (DeBose) and scientist Christian Campbell (Gallagher) are astronauts headed to the International Space Station on the moon. They are welcomed by a group of Russians scientists, Weronika Vetrov (Mashkova), Alexy Pulov (Asbæk) and Nicholai Pulov (Ronin), and another American, Gordon Barrett (Messina), who are already stationed there. Kira is there to test how zero-gravity effects regenerative medicine but isn’t adjusting as quickly as she thought and has to get used to constantly floating throughout space. The sleeping quarters are tight, and they share workstations, basically, so there’s no privacy. There’s also a language barrier within the group but they manage as best they can. While exploring surroundings on the station, Kira sees a flash of light that at first she thinks is a volcano erupting, but when the lights start popping up all over she realizes they are explosions. This throws the crew into a panic.

They are quickly briefed on the matter from their respective countries about the war taking place on Earth. With the two countries at odds, the American team is ordered to take full control of the I.S.S. by any means necessary, but none of them are sure where to begin. Amid the confusion, the Russians report that the ship’s antenna is broken and needs to be repaired manually, which Gordon volunteers to fix. Once he steps out of the ship, he sees the entire planet on fire. Tensions mount as the factions grow suspicious and paranoid of one another while they try to work together to get back to Earth and back to their families.

Cowperthwaite’s direction and Nick Remy Matthews’ cinematography blend well to capture the intense moments and movements in such a small space, contributing to a visually captivating narrative that takes full advantage of the enclosed, weightless environment. Every floating object and the looming emptiness of space becomes a player in this suspenseful drama, creating a palpable tension that adds a sense of dread. The movie moves at a steady pace, maintaining its grip without ever feeling like it’s overstaying its welcome.

However, the storytelling is where the cracks in the hull start to show. The plot delves into the trope of Russians and Americans clashing in a Cold War-reminiscent conflict which despite its antiwar messages and emphasis on cooperation feels a bit been there, done that. There are moments where the narrative grapples with the gravity of its intentions, but some plot devices spin closely to the realm of clichés, causing the acting to suffer as a result.

Why cast someone as effortlessly charismatic as Oscar winner DeBose for her to deliver such a stiff performance? In fact, all the actors come across as one-dimensional, almost as though their characters are trapped in a stasis, limiting character potential that never fully ignites. Characters mostly mumble their lines, exchange awkward glances and circle around one another in a pensive state. To sum it up, the cast lacks strong direction, and character arcs.

I.S.S. undeniably demonstrates a commitment to building tension to create an engaging story that holds the attention — it’s definitely a journey worth taking for the visual experience and the steady-paced suspense. Cowperthwaite comes from the documentary world, and does apply some of those sensibilities to her directing style. The biggest take away from the film, is as global warming gets worse and hostility grows between the world’s superpowers this is a vision of the future like if humanity doesn’t find some common ground.

[s2mikey]

I love sci-fi so this has some potential. The review mentions the usually tropes and cliches but it’s hard to avoid that stuff in sci-fi unless the writing team is really clever and smart. I’d try this out though. Sucker for the genre.

[unberechenbar]

Hope this gets a theatrical release. It sounds interesting and I love space movies.

[BluBonnet]

‘I.S.S.’ Review: Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina in a Tense Thriller About Warring Astronauts

As the war in Ukraine creates ever growing tensions between the United States and Russia, it makes one wonder how it will affect the interpersonal dynamics among the astronauts on board the International Space Station. Do they ignore geopolitical strife and concentrate on their duties? Do they get into arguments over their countries’ respective positions? Or do they literally attempt to murder each other?

The last premise forms the basis of Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s tense thriller receiving its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. Nick Shafir’s screenplay (an entry in the 2020 Black List of the year’s best unproduced scripts) concerns six astronauts — three American, three Russian — working harmoniously together until war apparently breaks out between the two countries. The Americans receive a message from NASA instructing them, “Your new objective is to take control of the ISS. By any means necessary.” The question is, did the Russian astronauts receive the same message as well?

The answer becomes fairly clear after Gordon (Chris Messina) exits the spacecraft to perform a repair and things don’t go exactly as planned. It soon becomes apparent that his American colleagues Kira (Ariana DeBose) and Christian (John Gallagher Jr.) are engaged in a struggle for survival against their Russian counterparts Weronika (Masha Mashkova, For All Mankind), Alexey (Pilou Asbaek (Borgen, Game of Thrones) and Nichola Pulov (Costa Ronin, The Americans). Complicating matters is the fact that Gordon and Weronika have been engaged in a clandestine romantic relationship, something that’s presumably hard to pull off during a space mission.

The filmmaker, working in unfamiliar territory (she’s previously helmed the documentary Blackfish and the dramas Megan Leavey and Our Friend) does an excellent job ratcheting up the suspense for the necessarily claustrophobic thriller that benefits greatly from its novel setting. When characters frantically race through the space station’s environs, they’re suspended in mid-air, not running. And when violence eventually breaks out in the zero-gravity conditions, the resulting blood droplets that gush out float in the air like a Yayoi Kusama conceptual art installation.

Although the thin narrative doesn’t fully succeed in sustaining the film’s feature-length running time even at a relative brief 95 minutes, Shafir’s screenplay provides enough twists and turns to maintain interest. While the characterizations aren’t particularly deep, the actors do their best to fill in the blanks. Gallagher Jr. and DeBose are particularly good in a quietly unnerving scene involving little more than the making of a sandwich.

Considering that her other screen acting has been confined mainly to musicals, it’s nice to see DeBose take on this role in a very different sort of film that provides the opportunity to show off her range. She delivers an excellent dramatic turn that is all the more effective for its restraint. Her fine efforts are matched by the rest of the ensemble, including Messina, who seems a ubiquitous onscreen presence these days, and Asbaek, who provides interesting shadings as the Russian astronaut conflicted about fulfilling his directive.

The relatively low-budgeted I.S.S. lacks the high-octane excitement of such similar space-set thrillers as Gravity, and it’s hard not to wish at times that it was a more lavish production. But the film works just fine as the sort of high-concept B-movie that used to be a mainstay of double features, even if it wouldn’t necessarily be an ideal recruiting tool for NASA.

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by unberechenbar

Hope this gets a theatrical release. It sounds interesting and I love space movies.

If it doesn’t then it won’t ever get anywhere since streaming is so fragmented these days. I hate that. When films are posted that are coming out, there should be a mention if they are straight to vaporware or will be available to see at a theater.

[Gacivory]

Looks good!

[BluBonnet]

This will definitely be the best movie about the ISS you'll see this January!!

[yanksno1]

I.S.S. Official Trailer (2024) - YouTube

This looks so good! Saw one trailer in the theater and a TV spot. Really hope my local IMAX has it on the IMAX or Axis15, Dolby Atmos screen. If not, I'll wait till Discount Tuesday to see it.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by yanksno1

I.S.S. Official Trailer (2024) - YouTube

This looks so good! Saw one trailer in the theater and a TV spot. Really hope my local IMAX has it on the IMAX or Axis15, Dolby Atmos screen. If not, I'll wait till Discount Tuesday to see it.

I would love to see this in IMAX or 4DX

[unberechenbar]

There's a poster for this at my local AMC. Hope it gets a UHD.

[yanksno1]

Doesn't look like this is showing at my local IMAX or Dolby Atmos theater, def a bummer there. Discount Tuesday it is!

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

My theater is getting this over the weekend. I'll be checking this ut with Founders Day over the weekend.

[BluBonnet]

It's such a shame this isn't getting any IMAX or Dolby screens (AFAIK), space adventure is always best in a premium format.

[MifuneFan]

It's playing at an AMC Prime here so that's how I'll be seeing it.

[BluBonnet]

Poll added

[Zivouhr]

ISS looks interesting. Especially the nuclear explosions going off on Earth in an unexpected war, affecting the space station's peace. Of course if it stops that one guy from singing off-key/butchering the song on the radio...

This weekend is supposed to be bad weather in parts of the US, so I can imagine that affects attendance this time of winter. A risk of releasing movies during dangerous weather conditions.

[BigPudge]

I thought this was an OK movie that kind of wasted its solid premise.

It had that slow burn, tense vibe for a good portion and then

[Show spoiler]it kind of just devolved into a standard space movie where people go crazy and kill other people

So yeah, there were several ways to take this story, and the way they chose, for me, would have been choice number 755,653!

Also

[Show spoiler]what was the ending? The I.S.S had been restored it looked like, it was no longer going to crash to earth. So why they leave? They had enough retions to survive, considering 4 other people were dead!

And where were they going? Just getting in the ship and seeing where they ended up?

[MifuneFan]

I thought it was pretty good. First off, the premise is actually pretty terrifying, and seeing the Earth engulfed in flames from space was rather haunting. The movie starts out by approaching it in a pretty grounded, and intelligent way, and there's plenty of tension, and unease throughout these initial acts. Unfortunately, it loses a lot of that in the second half, and goes for more cliched Hollywood-esque "action" scenes and violence. It does a little bit of course correction in its final moments, but it definitely could have been better given the premise. Given the low budget of the film, I think they did a convincing enough job of making it look and feel like the I.S.S.. I would only say the exterior shots didn't look great.

3/5

[BluBonnet]

Cinemascore is C-... ouch

[Underworld54]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

Cinemascore is C-... ouch

Kiss of death right there.