Ad Astra Review
by Myla Tosatto
It seems like every Oscar season we see a BIG, BOLD Hollywood space movie. In the recent past we saw Arrival, Interstellar and Gravity. This year we get Brad Pitt in Ad Astra. Pitt plays Roy McBride, a career astronaut in the near future. McBride is Ad Astra, literally, as he searches for his father (Tommy Lee Jones) in the stars. Most of the action (and this is an action pic with big set action pieces) takes place in space like the International Space Antenna, the Moon, Mars, Neptune and various space vehicles. The action will get your heart racing (you’ll get that joke after you see the movie and you’ll give it a little giggle). That’s not to say that the movie isn’t grounded in reality. McBride hasn’t seen his father in years and the weight of that hangs on him. Deep emotional father son drama set in space. It’s science fiction but about past relationships that shape us and ultimately mold our future decisions. Movie Myla just got deep with y’all!
There are many fine actors in Ad Astra lending their gravitas like Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga and Liv Tyler but this movie rests wholly on Pitt’s shoulders. He is in every scene and his every action determines life and death for those around him.* This is especially true when he finally sees his father.
I saw Ad Astra in an IMAX Theater. This is one of the few times I’m going to recommend shelling out the extra dough. You should be able to reach out and touch the planets and Ad Astra!
*Though honestly McBride finds himself on the most comically inept spaceship that has ever been written. I bought that both McBrides were career military. I think the space crew he was dealing with played a lot of video games or something. They weren’t getting their mettle or wits or logic tested at Space Force. Luckily, McBride could do it ALL. You will love Ad Astra and as of September 20th you can you see in theaters!!