Introduction:
It is a 2023 American science fiction thriller film created by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and scripted by Nick Shafir. It features Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher, Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin, and Pilou Asbæk. Taking the setting in the International Space Station the movie digs into the confrontation that takes place between the American and Russian astronauts and cosmonauts when a nuclear war erupts on the planet below.
Release Date:
The movie “I.S.S.” was premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival which followed and the theatre release in the United States was done on January 19, 2024, by Bleecker Street. It is fully subtitled in English and has also been released in Spanish, French, German etc., versions to furnish international audiences. In English and has been made available with subtitles in various languages, including Spanish, French, and German, to cater to a global audience.
Crew:
| Role | Name/s |
|---|---|
| Director | Gabriela Cowperthwaite |
| Producer | Mickey Liddell, Pete Shailaimon |
| Story Writer | Nick Shafir |
| Screenplay | Nick Shafir |
| Editor | Colin Patton |
Cast:
| Actor/Actress | Character Name |
|---|---|
| Masha Mashkova | Weronika Vetrov |
| Ariana DeBose | Dr. Kira Foster |
| Pilou Asbæk | Alexey Pulov |
| Chris Messina | Gordon Barrett |
| Costa Ronin | Nicholai Pulov |
| John Gallagher Jr. | Christian Campbell |
Story:
The storyline is based on six cosmonauts—three of them, Americans (Ariana DeBos, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr.,) and three Russians (Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin, Pilou Asbæk)—who work on the ISS. When a nuclear war ensues between the United States and Russia, both countries give their astronauts standing orders to seize control over the Russian space station if needed. This plot describes six astronauts who are on the ISS mission and as tensions between the orders and the personal values enmity erupt the mission space survival test starts.
Review:
However, the audience seems to have taken varying views of the video “I.S.S.” Despite the excellent cast and the director’s handling of the dense environment mentioned above, several viewers complain about the general university of the film. Some weaknesses you will find stated include the fact that the action sequence in the movie is too much but the pace of the movie is slow.
Positives:
- Strong Performances: Surprisingly, all the actors are fit for the movie more so, the roles of Aaron DeBose, Chris Messina, and Pilou Asbehck. These relationships and these feelings make the screw moments, in the movie believable.
- Effective Use of Setting: That is why the major part of the film occurred onboard the International Space Station somehow a very isolated environment enhances the thrilling sense which is peculiar to every AMC program.
- Engaging Tension: there are intense moments as the astronauts try to come to grips with the orders they have received and their loyalty to the company: the final 30 minutes are thrilling.
Negatives:
- Predictable Plot: Speaking of the film, the story, which is depicted there does not overstep the lines of clichéd expressions and, as a result, may seem somewhat ordinary to some people. Sometimes it is too predictable and this also helps to the dilution of the level of the suspense.
- Pacing Issues: On the same note, the tempos of the scenes are sometimes slowed down as is too much thriller as a part of some scenes and some monotonous scenes at an initial stage.
- Underdeveloped Supporting Characters: In the case of the key protagonists, the authors present rather clear and multidimensional characters; at the same time, some of the additional characters seem to be rather one-dimensional and can be described as in need of further development.
Technical Aspects:
- Direction: Amy’s attention to the characters varies from scene to scene but Gabriela Cowperthwaite successfully sustains the tone of seriousness although occasionally it falters between character enhancements and Protagonist and Antagonist sequences.
- Cinematography: The cinematography work of the film represents most appropriately the feeling of lightness as well as the strictness of the space enclosure of the International Space Station that provides the movie with a more real look.
- Editing: It was possible to make some of the areas more concise to make the pace faster when in some scenes of motion pictures it is rather slow.
Performance:
Kira is excellently played by Ariana DeBose through the signs of change of personality and emotion. Chris Messina and John Gallagher Jr. convey the Americans convincingly, and Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin and Pilou Asbæk make for suitably calculating Russians. Again the principles of ensemble cast help in creating the impact meant in the film.
Moviepoptime Review:
This is a scary movie. Specifically, it addresses many heuristics such as “who knows what?”, “Who is who?”, “who can be trusted?” I have read some of the negative comments on I.S.S., and I am urging anybody reading this to check it out for themselves. It may not be the best picture you have watched, far from it but I can give my word that it is not going to be a bad one either. I heartily endorse it. To me, it was mind-provoking. Being in any of the risky scenarios experienced by astronauts or even cosmonauts. A world like a plane crash.
All that has ever been familiar to you and me – our house, family and friends – is underneath the burning surface of the planet called Earth. Try and picture yourself on such a space station and all the odds of ever being able to regain everything you ever had. Who’s to say what any one of us would do? All I do know is that people are capable of behaving deplorably even under much better circumstances, and so I can almost suppose that given the circumstances of this movie, it becomes ‘harrowing.’ As I mentioned earlier. It seems to me that it is worthwhile to watch I.S.S.
Conclusion:
As much as “I.S.S.” can be termed as a good sci-fi thriller it pulls off extremely well to ensure that the theatrics delivered are good by cast assembling and the plot. Numbered scenes as well as preparations for an adventurous or thriller picture may be met with the predictable script and problematic distribution of motion pictures but high-tensioned scenes and emotional impact make the movie highly recommended for the admirers of the specific genre. The direction of the movie and the effort performed by a cast of the movie in its making provide some acceptable watch in the context of the space thrillers subgenre.
Also Read: Arcadian Movie Review