Ad Astra

Ad Astra dares to venture where many filmmakers have gone before. Some of those films have been masterpieces. But does Ad Astra hit those cosmic heights?

Set in the near future, Ad Astra sees an emotionally disconnected astronaut, Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt), on a mission not only where the fate of the solar system is at stake, but where he has to find his long lost astronaut father (Tommy Lee Jones).

It is epic yet intimate, action-orientated yet dramatically quiet. It's a space odyssey and also the ultimate deadbeat dad drama. The way it balances its opposites is excellent. It may remind audiences of many other space films, but it also builds a fascinatingly detailed future world.

The plot however plays second fiddle to the emotional arc of Pitt’s tortured astronaut. His journey into the depths of space reflects a journey akin to Heart Of Darkness, except focused on themes of masculinity and lost humanity in the face of the enormity of the universe.

James Gray has masterfully crafted Ad Astra, with the help of breathtaking cinematography and visual effects. There’s fantastic ensemble cast, all servicing Brad Pitt's layered, understated performance. He dominates the frame as much as the planets themselves in what is one of his best performances. His emotional journey makes you forget any lapses in plot logic.

Ad Astra is a surprising sci-fi journey, where its biggest concerns hide behind Pitt’s expressive eyes. It will make you look inward, even as humanity dreams of outer space.