A mediocre sci-fi thriller that is carried by it's stars

Rating: 6/10 (30 March 2017)

"Life" is a mix of "Alien" and "Gravity" and while that might sound good it is not. The movie was hyped and highly anticipated but it was not worth the wait. This movie proves once again that a great cast isn't everything. The movie starts with an amazing opening sequence using a tracking shot similar to those in "Birdman" and right away gives us a inside into the characters. However, after this 10 minute sequence the remaining hour and a half is rather disappointing. The acting is good but nothing special and there is really nothing sophisticated about it and the movie is carried by the three stars. The cinematography, except for the stunning opening sequence, is also nothing special and really doesn't convey the danger and fear as well as it could have. That is a real shame. There is so much potential and especially with this story the tension could've been build up so well with better camera work. The story definitely has great potential but as previously mentioned it would have been expressed so much better with some good camera work but is at least for the most part compensated by solid direction. The best aspect of the story is the ending. The score is also rather disappointing for it could also have helped to underline the emotions that were expected. The direction here is a strong point. There are many good elements that were considered in the set and building of surprise in some scenes. In conclusion we can say that "Life" is a solid sci-fi thriller that builds some suspense and is quite entertaining. The story and emotions could have been underlined better by the camera work and score but otherwise it is a solid thriller.