Approaching the Unknown (2016) Reviews

• Important to go in with the right mind-set

  jtindahouse2017-07-06

  I can see why 'Approaching the Unknown' would not be to everyone's liking. It's very much a slow-burner of a film and is really more of a character study than anything else. With space movies I think people have come to expect drama filled, save-the-world type films and this is simply not that. This is the story of a man who has embarked on a mission that very few people on Earth would be brave enough to do, and the struggle he consequently went through. I actually quite enjoyed it for the most part. A film with basically only one character is never going to be the most exhilarating watch, however the pacing of the film doesn't feel overly slow. Mark Strong in the lead role does a good job of being just interesting enough in what would have been a very tough role to take on. As mentioned, this won't be for everyone. People who go into this expecting an 'Armegeddon' or even 'Gravity' type film are going to be let down and I suspect that is a lot of the reason why this film has not been received very well. However if you go in simply expecting a solid exploration of astronaut life and the challenges they can go through mentally, I think you will find yourself quite enjoying this one.

• Zen-spirit atmosphere space movie

  jionblonstein-328062016-06-08

  This movie is good. I honestly understand the bad rating, because its not mainstream and you need to understand the "zen-spirit" of it.You need to have sensitivity and some wisdom to appreciate a movie like this.Its atmospheric and poetic.Lets you experience space from an angle of basic reality and not heroism nor action. The slow descend into madness, his monologues, it is good. A good story isn't about a lot of action, a lot of events, it lies in the subtleties and how they come together. Just a good movie. I guess, blade runner also had a bad reception when it was released. This movie is perhaps not meant for this generation of action spoiled viewers. I really hope this will get some appreciation along the line, so that we may see more of this quality. Real sci-fi fans will love this movie for what it is.

• Pathetic attempt at a psychological drama

  deltaforce72016-06-06

  I kind of think that a movie director has to make up his mind about a movie first making sure that at least he clearly knows what it is going to be about. This movie seems like an attempt at a psychological drama of loneliness and failure. Why did they even bother with the space theme? It could've been filmed entirely in a couple of studio apartments somewhere. The movie fails at many points. KEEP IN MIND that people ALREADY have real-life experience of spending up to 437.7 (!!!)days in space in ZERO gravity (Valeri Polyakov, Russia, Soyuz TM-18). Here are a few of the most obvious failures: 1) Solitary space travel? Why? To make more room for this "psychological" drama? 2) No teamwork, failure to obey the chain of command. This is no way to fly into space. 3) Building an entire super-expensive interplanetary mission around a poorly tested water-making machine? Plus, if EVERYTHING depends upon such a machine, why not carry at least one more to be safe? 4) What kind of a ship comes complete with a whole SHOWER, but has no significant reserve of water for drinking? 5) Who accelerates a space ship, then stops it for some "shopping" for extra "supplies" (while we don't even get to see them or know what they are needed for), and then accelerates it AGAIN? What? "The fuel is no problem, 'cause we got plenty of it?" 6) If a pilot of the space ship is such an expert on the ship itself, then how come that he screws everything up so constantly? 7) They couldn't store enough water on the ship, but instead they filled it with dirt for this unreliable "reactor" to be extracting water from this dirt? WHY? At first, I though they wanted to run tests on the water reactor using some samples of soil, but who could imagine that they were going to rely upon it during the entire 270 days of flight? 8) First there are complaints about excessive water condensation, but the next moment there are complaints about aridity and dry air. It could not be both at the same time. 9) The pilot of the space ship takes off from Earth sitting in a vertical position instead of lying down. Weird. Also, should he be able to see anything during takeoff through a "shroud" that protects his module? The "shroud" is ejected when a space ship reaches space. Then they can look through windows. 10) What kind of a water supply system could be built in such way that some electrical malfunction would contaminate water with battery chemicals? I see it this way: this movie was made by some wannabe "psychologists" who wanted to make a drama, who lacked technical background, so the movie turned out as a display of their own phobias, personal weaknesses, suicidal tendencies, and fears of failure. Well, they manage to achieve a full-scale failure with this movie! If you are a sci-fi fan like myself, then watch something else.

• 90 Minutes

  mrodieck2016-06-05

  This is 90 minutes of my life I will never get back. Premise is terrible. Characters have nothing to like. Why was there only one astronaut in each space craft? Why was there a space station three weeks from earth? Why would you stop a spaceship three weeks from earth to resupply when it has built up momentum to get to Mars? Where were the science advisors for this pathetic attempt at science fiction? Cinematography is worthless. And it only got worse as it went on. Someone, please, send me to Mars by myself so I never have to endure another movie like this. Please warn me if this writer, director, or studio executive is ever allowed to make another movie. I wish there was an alien to eat my brain after watching this.

• A hidden masterpiece

  Sofija-Silver-Surfer2016-09-22

  This movie is not for everyone,especially for those who think that a good Sci-Fi movie MUST have action and heroism and they do not appreciate story and writing in the movie, they just love the action with a little pale, soft and weak drama blockbusters (The Martian). You will find similarities in atmosphere and story with Europa Report, Love, Moon and even some scenery references to 2001 A Space Odyssey and Tree of Life. I admit the visual effects weren't much, I assume it is because of the low budget(effects are not all that matters) but they were beautiful and mysterious just like in Odyssey and Love. For those who claim that the movie is scientifically inaccurate: The Martian had SOUND AND EXPLOSIONS in space (good job, really good job Ridley Scott nice way of making some blockbuster money). SPOILER ALERT: I think there is more to the story than it meets the eye. It's not all black and white and not so obvious.You need to dig deeper into the story to find the true meaning and idea. I think that he never really went to space because he never left the desert alive,and his machine didn't work (he couldn't convert dirt to water as it was shown in a flashback) so this was his 'soul' journey to achieving the one thing that no one has ever accomplished. Being the first human to set foot on a another planet.That would explain all the mysterious space scenery on his way to Mars (Earth- Human Life, Journey to Mars-Bridge to eternity, Mars-representing the afterlife). As he revealed to us in the end of the movie: "Nothing has ever lived here. Nothing has ever died here. Maybe I'll live forever". He finally found his peace.