Ad Astra: Binge or Bust?

This movie is The Heart of Darkness in space. 

 I LOVED the message, how he said to his dad “you didn’t fail, you found out that the life that matters is home” I really liked this concept. Because billions of dollars in tax money is spent on space exploration for the sole purpose of finding life. I’m all for space exploration. I think it’s simply amazing and I can really nerd out on it. Seeing the SpaceX shuttle launch was poetic! 

The movie seems to say that the problem is that we can become so consumed with life somewhere out there that we neglect to take care of the life right in front of us. Our technology can advance and advance while our life here on earth is in shambles. 

When Space X launched it was thrilling. Here was an immigrant, who was living the American dream, funding a historical shuttle launch! Simply amazing. But on the same day there were riots with looting and burning buildings because a white cop murdered a black man. While our technology advances, and we reach the pinnacles of technological achievements, our hearts remain calloused and unchanged. 

There was a bit of a monologue at the end of the movie by Brad Pitts character about not finding life out there, in space, but valuing the connection he had back home on earth. 

In this movie Tommy Lee Jones goal was to find life, Brad Pitts goal was to save A life, neither succeeded but Pitt was changed as a result. He wasn’t going to be like his dad and sacrifice relationships/family for a fruitless endevor. Instead he’d go home and invest where it mattered most

The message and acting were solid, the visuals were stunning. So why the three stars? What I didn’t like: the movie was slow going. In my worthless opinion they could’ve cut 30 min or spiced up a few scenes. 

Overall it’s well worth the watch, go get lost in space!