an inter-stellar love story

Rating: 7/10 (11 February 2017)

Spacecraft undertaking long journeys between the stars have become one of the sets favorite movies and television series about the second half of the 60s, with the entry in production of serials like 'Star Trek' and some major big screen movies as '2001: a Space Oddissey' directed by Stanley Kubrick. Smaller and larger studios added to their sets to apartments in Manhattan, wild west villages and saloons or columns of the Roman forums, the corridors and cabins passenger space travel as scenery and props were used and reused. While these sets were diversified, specialized and differentiated by gender, some of them represented true artistic creations, an example being the series 'Alien' with sets drawn by Swiss surrealist artist Hans Rudolph (HR) Giger.
'Passengers' directed by Norwegian Morten Tyldum on a screenplay by Jon Spaihts is happening on such a spacecraft called Avalon. (The name comes from the Celtic mythology and Arthurian story exactly, is the name of the island where the legendary sword Excalibur was created). It is a huge shuttle carrying 5000 passengers toward the settlement Homestead II located far away from Earth. What is different from post-apocalyptic movies, we are warned from the beginning that this settlement is the result of a decision taken in an orderly manner and that everything is OK on Earth. In fact, it seems to be a peaceful period in human evolution, without internal conflicts and external threats. So there is room for romance. And in fact, this is what 'Passengers' is - a love story that happens in interstellar space.
The journey should last 120 years, and is performed at a cruising speed which is half the speed of light. That means that those who embark on this adventure forever leave their home world, friends and family. Even if taking a return voyage the day after arrival at Homestead II would find upon returning to Earth a humanity oldest 240 years plus time 'compressed' due to travel at speeds comparable to the speed of light (this Conformity theory of relativity) . Achieving such speeds is currently beyond the capabilities of the technology, although known theoretically at least two types of engines (photon propulsion and antimatter) that can be used in the future. Inside the spacecraft imagined by filmmakers combine utilitarianism technical (individual cryogenic cells, a bridge where access is allowed only to the authorized crew, an engine room similar to the engine room ocean liners) and shared space with different sections with comfort differentiated according to social classes . Kind of like a giant Titanic, with a better service and menu afforded only by passengers who have paid the tickets more expensive. That mankind may not have acute internal problems or external conflicts, but the differences between social classes they were not erased this future described by writer 'Passengers'. As a consolation, the bar is still free for all passengers and serviced by an android (played by Michael Sheen) who is a good conversationalist (sometimes a little too chatty) and a gentleman. The exterior of the spacecraft is equipped with a protective shield which should defend the ship, of any meteorological nuisance such as star storms or meteor populated areas. All is well until a problem occurs, and among its consequences, a passenger, a mechanical engineer from Colorado named Jim Preston (actor Chris Pratt is called) is awakened too early. Specifically after "only" 30 years, 90 years before arriving at their destination, which means in practice that he will never reach there.
The love story between the mechanical engineer played by Chriss Pratt and the New York journalist played the beautiful actress Jennifer Lawrence is the centerpiece of the story. It's a story about guilt, because the heroine was actually awakened intentionally by the hero after more than a year and loneliness, which triggers the romantic story but kills the possibility that she ever reaches their destination. I will not reveal more than that and I will not say the connection seemed to me not too convincing despite some scenes filmed very well, and that the last part of the story slips in spatial action drama with not too many original features.
I loved in this movie some of the cinematographic images. I saw the movie in 3D, but it should be quite spectacular in 2D as well. Splendid are the scenes inside where a couple of young heroes have at hand a whole (not sinking) Titanic where they are the only ones awake with other 4998 passengers plunged into a deep sleep. Sensational scenes are mostly the one outside the spaceship, where heroes - if we continue the parallel - observe from the deck liner the entire interstellar universe.
In conclusion - a more than reasonable science fiction film, a romantic story that takes place in special circumstances and surroundings which may not be that convincing at the end of the day as romance, but the moments of great beauty reward those who undertake the viewing experience.