The post Movie Review – Passengers appeared first on The Scribbling Geek.

Passengers is not just a space survival story. It’s also a quick discussion on man’s innate need for companionship.

I confess. I looked forward to Passengers purely because of Jennifer Lawrence. I’m a fan boy. A big one. Whatever some critics might say, I consider Jennifer one of the most talented and gorgeous actresses of our times.

And as expected, she doesn’t disappoint in this movie. In a typecast way, that is. Like Katniss, like Mystique, she effortlessly projects the role of the modern, independent female, with several well-timed displays of inner vulnerability. Chris Pratt was great too, in his typical Starlord suave goofiness style. What I’m saying is, the script completely panders to popular audience perceptions of these two A-listers. There are no surprises, but it’s difficult not to be charmed by their smooth portrayals.

As for the story, I would say I was positive about that certain key-event. It surprised me. Overall, I felt it also injected a sophisticated humanism into what was otherwise a straightforward space drama. Now, I know a lot of critics slammed the outcome of this situation, and to an extent, I do agree with their complaints. However, it seems to me these critics also largely ignored the “reality” of the situation. In similar shoes as either one of the two leads, what would they do? If they were Aurora, would they destroy the entire ship in vengeance? Commit to 90s years of solitary hatred in firm maintenance of their conclusions? I seriously doubt so.

One last thing. I think it’s wonderful that space dramas are nowadays more sensitive towards real-life physics. I’m not saying Passengers is worthy of being a science tutorial. Not at all. I’m just saying it’s heartening that movie producers no longer project gravity as being conveniently omnipresent or equal throughout a spacecraft. Or that interplanetary journeys require but a matter of days and months. Both of which, scientifically speaking, being utterly ridiculous and nonsensical.

PS: Not flaunting physics knowledge, for which I have little! I’ve often read that time slows upon a vessel hitting light speed. In Ender’s Game, that was how Mazer Rackham stayed alive beyond typical human lifespan. Given the Avalon was flying at sub-light speed, would this mean the 90 years would be but … You’d know what I mean after watching the movie.

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The post Movie Review – Passengers appeared first on The Scribbling Geek.