★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Jake Gyllenhaal returns to B-movie cinema in this weightless but efficiently gruesome space creepie. A team of astronauts and scientists on the International Space Station are thrilled when a probe dispatched to Mars returns laden with samples, one of which could demonstrate proof of life on the red planet. One such sample contains a miniscule but motionless organism. Being characters in a creature feature, they inevitably decide to inject it with nutrients, poke it with an electrical prod, and generally fiddle about in a way that can only lead to much yelling and crunching.





With the creature loose on the station, the film becomes an episodic series of chase sequences intercut with light musings on the nature of life, as the various inhabitants of the ISS (Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds, Rebecca Ferguson et al) attempt to prevent ‘Calvin’ from reaching Earth.





Alien and Gravity blended together…but the resulting milkshake goes down well with a large popcorn. Gyllenhaal brings his A-game, even to what may seem a step down from his recent string of varied, comparatively arthouse roles, and Ferguson continues to build on a promise of stardom. Reynolds is rather less impressive, but for plot reasons as opposed to lack of ability. Hiroyuki Sanada (as in Sunshine, playing an awestruck astronaut who can’t catch a break) never gives a bad performance, and is suitably intense. With the basic premise and top-of-the-line visual effects taken into consideration, yes, it’s little more thanandblended together…but the resulting milkshake goes down well with a large popcorn. Gyllenhaal brings his A-game, even to what may seem a step down from his recent string of varied, comparatively arthouse roles, and Ferguson continues to build on a promise of stardom. Reynolds is rather less impressive, but for plot reasons as opposed to lack of ability. Hiroyuki Sanada (as in, playing an awestruck astronaut who can’t catch a break) never gives a bad performance, and is suitably intense.





Challenger disaster (a huge misstep in an otherwise amiable script) and decides to start separating various limbs and vital organs from their bodies. The creature is an effectively creepy amalgamation of several we’ve seen before and the gore is visceral and plentiful: picture the grisliest bits of Prometheus and you’re in the right ball park. In short, they’re all good company when Calvin gets bored of them all moping about thedisaster (a huge misstep in an otherwise amiable script) and decides to start separating various limbs and vital organs from their bodies. The creature is an effectively creepy amalgamation of several we’ve seen before and the gore is visceral and plentiful: picture the grisliest bits ofand you’re in the right ball park.



