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Ad Astra ... A space odyssey to Neptune

Ad Astra is without a doubt the hardest movie I’ve had to review so far. The movie stars Brad Pitt and every single second of his straight, emotionless acting. This is not a bad thing because that’s just how his character is, and not a result of bad acting. I will say that everything in this movie, much like actually being in space, is slow and deliberate. This works for the purposes of the film but large portions of the movie are silent, accurately mimicking the sensation of being in space. These moments of silence are assisted by the score and absolutely stunning visuals that both serve to try to keep the audience engaged when not a lot is actually happening on screen. When I mentioned that everything about this movie is slow and deliberate, this extends to those moments of silence and Brad Pitt voice over. The journey is almost a character analysis of Brad Pitt playing Roy McBride. To summarize the plot of the movie, it is essentially a journey to Neptune but what makes it interesting is the fact that Ad Astra is deep and philosophical. The ending leaves the audience feeling confused and these traits all serve to make its audience mull Brad Pitt’s journey over, making its audience really search their memories to discover what the movie is about. I personally enjoy these unique kinds of films that do something different and challenge what a movie can be about. However, I’m not the average movie viewer and I imagine that there would be a group of people who might just find this movie long and boring. For those who have seen it, the movie is like Gravity starring Sandra Bullock in the sense that a lot of the movie is simple on the surface, but there is a lot more happening emotionally. I will say that this movie is enjoyable if you like to watch deep philosophical movies or if modern, accurate space films are something that you enjoy seeing on screen. I believe that this movie has its audience, but I wouldn’t give it as much praise as other critics who say that it is a sci-fi masterpiece.

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