From time to time, we'll post a review about a movie we will
be showing at the Rex II Theater. Our reviews are spoiler-free, so they may be
somewhat thin on plot points. We won’t reveal anything you won’t have
discovered from trailers. We won't review all movies. We'll just do it
occasionally when we feel the movie warrants it. This is one of those movies.
Passengers: What is it?
Passengers is a Science Fiction Thriller/Drama set in the
future. The Starship Avalon is en route to a far-away planet (How far? The trip takes 120 years...so, pretty far.)
loaded with 5000+ passengers set to populate the Homestead Colony when
something goes Terribly Wrong.
Passengers: Who's in it?
Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen, Laurence
Fishburne
Passengers: Similar Movies
The Martian, Gravity
Passengers: Is it suitable for my child?
Only you can make that call. IMDB has a section on the
Passengers listing called “Parents Guide” where content is analyzed by parents.
May include spoilers.
Passengers: Why should you see it?
If you’ve read any reviews about "Passengers"
lately the reviewers probably shredded it to pieces. Why? Here's a theory:
Because it's getting bad reviews. There seems to be a trend these days where
once someone rips into something the "cool" thing to do is to follow
suit. That thing becomes somewhat of a whipping post for people to vent
frustrations and all of a sudden the newest fun thing to do is to insult that
thing. And it snowballs out of control. The reverse is also true. Have you ever
wondered why something is suddenly incredibly popular and you can find no good
reason for it to be so? Probably because someone influential said it was the
best thing ever, it became an Event, people jumped on the bandwagon, and years
later thrift stores are full of Furbies. (You know, for example.)
So, back to Passengers....
It has two of the biggest stars in the world right now.
(Sure that doesn't always make movie magic...remember "The Devil's
Own?" Probably not.) Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence have to almost
exclusively carry entire movie, and they do so admirably. They have a nice
believable chemistry in the "talky bits" and both are more than
capable of pulling off the "actiony bits." In a key supporting role, Michael Sheen
manages to be incredibly charming as a robot.
The first half of the movie deals with isolation after a
meteor strike causes mechanical failures and leaves two passengers awake 90
years before their allotted time. Small glitches sprinkled throughout the first
hour indicate that the meteor strike may have caused more damage though, and
the last half of the movie is where most of the action comes in.
Is it the Greatest Movie Ever Made? No. Is it the Best Movie
You’ve Ever Seen? Maybe. You won’t know unless you see it. The drama is there.
The tension is there. It may force you to ask what you would do in a similar
situation. But most importantly, the movie will entertain you for two hours.
And really...that's why we go to the movies, isn't it?
Passengers: Our Rating
On a scale of 1 - 10 Androids...we give it...
7 Androids!
This blog is opinion, not fact. And should be treated as
such.
