Life

After the more uplifting space encounters in The Martian and Arrival, Life provides a grim twist to the sci-fi genre.

Upon discovering an unknown life form in soil samples collected from Mars, the astronauts on the International Space Station begin to study the first proof of life in outer space. The organism, dubbed Calvin, soon turns hostile and begins to pick off the crew members one by one.

Contrary to what the title suggests, Life is not as concerned with philosophical discourse on human existence as it is with atmospheric tension. Although the film struggles to find its footing in terms of tone during the initial set-up, the grotesque imagery and the imminent threat of Calvin are serviceable to keep the audience occupied in this haunted house alienated in outer space. Unfortunately, the film falls into common clichés in horror films, prompting us to question the competence of these supposedly intelligent astronauts. The distracting, and sometimes jarring, score does not help the cause much either.

Life is a passable space thriller but its predictability in certain points of the story keeps it from being exceptional.

(Originally posted on 25 Mar 2017 @projectunwrapped)