"We apologize to passengers for the interruption in their journey ..." (standard travel announcement).

Rating: Null/10 (5 January 2017)

Sleeping passengers are startled to be woken up on their journey to their destination. However, being in a space-ship in space, this story is out of this world, rather than just being another everyday commuter horror story.
The film opens, travelling through space, and Chris Pratt being woken from his induced hibernation sleep. Those familiar with the trailer will enjoy seeing Mr Pratt preening himself before he goes off to meet the other passengers, as we know what he does not. There is comedy here, as well as some satire, that will be familiar to mere earthlings experiencing different classes of travel, and trying to work through computer options. As the full reality of his situation dawns on Mr Pratt the film becomes more serious.
Chris Pratt in Jurassic World (2015) played a likable action figure, whilst also giving us a comic touch too. Mr Pratt played the role well, though to be fair, it was his character who was responsible for the dinosaurs running amok. Here, in 'Passengers', he again has a role that combines elements of action and comedy. However, there is also much more depth to his character in this film, and Mr Pratt demonstrates this well in some superb acting as he faces his future choices.
This reviewer was excited to see this film, but was sadly put off by a critic who revealed a plot twist. However, going to see the film, I was happy to see that the plot twist, which is a major one, and which I believe is best not revealed, is central to the plot of the film, and is rightly dealt with, and explored, in depth. There are one or two other plot twists too, which again are best left to be discovered.
Louisville Kentucky gave us 'The Greatest', the three-times World Heavy-weight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali, (who sadly died in 2016). In 1990 it also gave us another world champion, and star actress, Jennifer Lawrence.
Her appearance in 'Silver Linings Playbook' (2012) as a sulky and mad date for the equally mad and sulky Bradley Cooper, who then won his heart with her running and dancing, (as well as Robert De Niro's), was merely one of several tremendous performances in recent years. The three stars, followed that up with 'American Hustle' (2013), and 'Joy' (2015). In 'Hustle' Miss Lawrence again played a border-line mad, and this time, not too smart, but very manipulative wife of Christian Bale. This time last year, she starred in 'Joy' (2016), playing the eponymous real-life inventor of the Miracle-Mop, who was necessarily made of much sterner stuff.
Miss Lawrence must be considered amongst the best, if not the best, actress of her generation, and this era. She seems to be able to be truly authentic in her portrayal of her characters, exhibiting true and believable emotions in all of her character dramas. In this film 'Passengers', she again shows us her talent and is rightly billed with the first credit as the star of this film.
Miss Lawrence's character, (the appropriately named Aurora), like that of Mr Pratt, wakes up alone, before she meets him. These two humans are alone. It cannot really be said that this film has a cast of thousands, as all the rest are tucked up asleep for the duration of the trip. Our two woken humans face an awful future alone, with only an android barman as company. Barman Arthur, played well by Michael Sheen, will be easily recognized as being like all human barman on planet Earth.
'Passengers' thus does have a very small cast, though it does seem a spot bigger than that of 'Gravity' (2013) starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The two films are similar, with both being dramas set in space with a small cast. Having seen both films in 3D, I can say they share excellent production values too. In 'Passengers' the interiors and exteriors of the space-ship are excellent, as too are all the shots of the rest of the universe. Music was excellent. It heightened tension and drama at the appropriate moments, whilst never intruding either.
'Passengers', and 'Gravity', have good plots and stories. Sadly, at the end of last year, 'Arrival' (2016), went nowhere, and could be best described by old Mrs Soprano as "just all a big nothing". 'Interstellar' (2014), did at least go somewhere initially, however both films were really ruined by silly time-loop stuff.
By contrast, 'Passengers' is recommended as a seriously well-made film, with a good story-line, that also raises some thoughtful questions that will need to be addressed before we move from our everyday commuter problems here on Earth to those involved in space-travel.
Miss Lawrence, sadly, only teases us with a dance in this film, but the silver-lining is more running, and some swimming too.
Whilst the film deals with some adult issues and themes, it's UK rating of 12A, means that it is suitable for a wide range of audiences.
Good stuff! 10/10.