Space movies have a special place in my heart and always have. The wonder and unknown of space make for some of the most beautiful cinematic adventures. So I was very excited about The Midnight Sky, and while I liked it, I feel there was some missed potential.
Let’s start with the positives of The Midnight Sky. George Clooney does a great job directing and acting, bringing both charm and melancholy to a strong character. His chemistry with the young girl makes for some of the most impactful parts of the film. Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo, I expected no less from them. Tiffany Boone, Kyle Chandler, and Demian Bichir are stronger than I expected, and all the astronauts are portrayed with humanity.
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The visuals of The Midnight Sky are the best to come out of a Netflix film, and the apocalyptic setting is built so well. Alexandre Desplat’s lovely score is one of his best in years. There’s no streaming-ness insight with the execution that is great. This makes the plot itself inviting, and it keeps you wanting to watch where things will end up.
Now the reason I think there was missed potential is because it never emphasizes its themes enough to resonate. Humanity’s survival, space exploration, the need for companionship and family, if this stuff was explored more we would have felt stronger about the plot.
Also, the film eventually starts to lack momentum and stakes, like what’s at hand if George Clooney or the astronauts fail their mission. Also instead of focusing on one of those plots for a while, it would’ve been better had they intercut them together to create that intensity the film lacked. Had there been more of a ticking clock, the film would’ve been thrilling.
There’s also a point where I felt like it should start to move on to the next plot point, or wrap up soon, which isn’t a good thing. The ending, while not perfect, is executed very well. Won’t give anything away, I promise. Maybe some of my disappointment also comes from expecting a chaotic action film like Gravity, but this is quite a drama too.
The Midnight Sky has great production and concepts, but not as great as I hoped because it lacks thematic clarity, structural strength, and intensity. Watch ‘The Midnight Sky’ on Netflix here.
Images via Netflix India
Written by Gal Balaban aka Film Toppings
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