The Astronaut's Wife
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Movie Reviews of The Astronaut's Wife
Movie Review: Expertly crafted suspense thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
I rented this film without much in the way of expectations. I am not a big sci-fi fan and even less of a horror fan, I was prepared to be underwhelmed. In fact, I was extremely impressed, not with the story, but with the filmmaking, particularly the direction by Rand Ravich.The story was a patchwork of a lot of different worn out sci-fi themes. There was the "alien takes over the human" theme, the "alien dwells among us" theme and of course, "the evil baby gestating in the good and pure mother" theme. Suffice it to say that this wasn't fresh material. But let's be honest. How many stories are really fresh material? Why are we suckers for the same old romantic comedy storylines again and again and yet we expect that sci-fi must be completely novel to be good?
What is outstanding about this film is the suspense. I haven't seen a film that was so effective as a suspense film in quite some time. It was effective because of daring use of the camera by Ravich that visually left me begging for relief in scene after scene. Actually, if there is any criticism of this film it is the fact that the suspense was too well done. It wears the viewer out without sufficient mental rest stops.
Ravich's use of extreme close ups, wide angle shots, rapid camera movements, odd perspectives, and tight sets produces a sense of relentless suspense that made me want jump into the screen and yell at the characters. For some, this was probably overwhelming and tedious. It seems that viewers today want pace, novelty and surprises. Yes, we knew Spencer (Johnny Depp) was now an alien. Yes, we knew that Jillian (Charlize Theron) had alien babies growing inside her. What we didn't know was what she was going to do about it and what he was going to do about her. So I thought the story was ultimately effective in achieving its goal...thrilling suspense.
What this film lacked was a hideous monster and a lot of blood and gore. This is why it wasn't popular in my opinion because these are staples of today's mass market viewer. This is the very reason I thought it was excellent because it produced fear and anticipation, not by what was seen, but by what was unseen.
From an acting perspective, this was a shining moment for Charlize Theron. This was a very demanding film for a female lead and she handled it like a pro. Her part demanded a full range of emotions from sweet adoring wife to the terror of a caged animal and she delivered the most complete performance I've seen from her to date. As a matter of fact, Theron so controlled the screen that Johnny Depp didn't really have much to do except give the occasional menacing look.
I'm going to buck the tide with this one and give it an 8/10. This film was about style. It failed to deliver the obvious and this elusiveness made it unique among all the weird science fiction rip-them-to-shreds hack movies that jam the video store shelves. And that's what I liked most about it.
Movie Review: A character driven science fiction movie
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a completely good movie in almost every aspect. I don't understand what all the hubbuub is about, The Astronaut's Wife was not that bad a movie. Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron superbly portrayed their characters, right down to the smallest detail. Depp really shows how far his acting range can extend to. And Theron completely took me by surprise, she really steals the show. As for all the comparisons to Rosemary's Baby, they are few and very far between. The most apparent would be Theron's hair style which is a distant reminder of Mia Farrow. But from this man's point of view, this film completely stands on its own as original, entertaining, and thrilling. My only beef is the DVD itself, there aren't any special features included save a theatrical trailer and a few biographys. Although a director commentary and/or making of documentary would have been a nice bonus, the picture and sound are both a ten, and that is enough to satisfy me. Just imagine, a character-driven science fiction. What's more, there are only two visual effects shots throughout the entire movie, which says something. One might say that the film budget was too low to allow it to become an effects movie. I disagree, though, because for what it lacked in effects the movie made up for in story, acting, directing, and script. Please watch this with an open mind, don't let all the critics sway you. It never ceases to amaze me how many people will believe and watch a movie based on what one or two people have said about it. Form your own opinions, not just for this movie but for all the others that have gotten a bad rap.
Movie Review: The superb acting makes this film worth while
Summary: 4 Stars
While many critics had utter distaste for "The Astronaut's Wife," I happened to enjoy this horror/sci-fi film very much. It's a lot of fun, and it has eerie cinematography that really draws the viewer into the film. But the real thing that makes this not-so-original flick worth while to watch is the superb acting from Johnny Depp ("Sleepy Hollow," "Edward Scissor Hands") and the stunning, absolutely magnificent Charlize Theron ("Devil's Advocate," "2 Days in the Valley"). Both these actors are very talented and perhaps at the top of their generation. Joe Morton (veteran co-star of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and "Speed") also has a small role here, which makes it all the better. The film is about an astronaut's wife (Theron) who finds out that her husband (Depp) has come back from space and has been posessed by some alien force. He now has plans on Earth for world domination after he impregnates his wife with his alien children. This is where Morton comes in as he desperately tries to tell the astronaut's wife what is happening. The story moves along at a brisk, yet somewhat predictable pace, and it's really only the ending that proves to have any jolt of suspense and breathless unpredictability. Overall, if you enjoy this type of genre, "The Astronaut's Wife" is well worth your time and money to see.
Movie Review: For Depp or serious Sci-Fi fans only.
Summary: 4 Stars
I watched this movie for the first time on the DVD. I think the worst thing about this film is the fact that it makes a comparison to Rosemary's Baby on the box. Because of that, I went in with a preconcieved notion of what was going to happen. The comparison is not fair. Rosemary's Baby was a great film, but this movie can stand on it's own without people trying to fool us into thinking that it is a remake of "Baby."I am a big fan of Johnny Depp and I think that he brings a touch of class to all of his films. This one is no exception. Charlize Theron is the persona of every boy's dream elementary school teacher. Both give good performances. Unfortunatley, Johnny's biggest role is to try not to say anything. I think that Johnny shows us a different kind of character here than he has before and if you are a fan of his, it might be worth checking out.
To wrap it up, I think that any science fiction fan would enjoy this film at least for one watch. It's easy on the special effects but heavy on the suspense. Some sceens were done very well, with a real artistic flair. Don't read the box before you watch it. Well, if you are reading this it is too late to avoid the Rosemary's Baby reference, but ignore it. This movie is not Rosemary's Baby. It may not be a better film, but it is one worth a watch. Enjoy!
Movie Review: Could have had a better ending I suppose.
Summary: 4 Stars
What is with you people. Yes, sure, the ending was predictable and rather short. The ending was seemingly allocated too little time in relation to the amount of time it took to bulid up all that suspense and puzzelment. At the end of it all, what were we really expecting other than what took place. For the first time we got a semi sci-fi horror/thriller where there was actually some form of character build up (namely Charlize Theron). Yes, despite his all star presence I too found it hard to accept MR.J.D as an executive with bleached hair and a trendy ring on his finger. But hey, this movie is designer made, it's slick, the scenes are filled with beautiful people and the kind of homes we'd like to own. It kept me watching right until the end and so i'ii only take off one star purely because of the inadequate ending. This movie delivers on what it's about by and large though. Those of you who think not should consider making movies yourselves and see if you can do a better job. To think that self-indulgent (oh look at us Americans we have so much depth ha ha ha)stuff like "The Sixth Sense" does so well. I mean, kids just aren't that sensitive and oh so mature at that age - especially in grand old culture ridden USA (joking about the culture ridden bit). Four Stars for "The Astronaut's Wife".