Ad Astra Parent Guide

Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) has been working for United States Space Command his whole adult life, to the exclusion of all else. Following a massive power surge originating from Neptune which threatens life on Earth, he is ordered on a secret mission. Space Command believes that the surge is coming from a former project of their own, titled Project Lima, and led by Roy’s late father, Clifford McBride. Roy is sent to Mars to send a secure communication to determine who may be responsible for these devastating events.

Ad Astra leans comfortably on the traditions of science fiction film and benefits from it. That’s not to say that the movie is unoriginal or clichéd, far from it. It is just familiar enough to be accessible, but unique and brilliant in new ways which prevent it from feeling tired or played out. If it had simply rehashed a movie like 2001: A Space Odyssey, it would be far less successful. Instead, it makes references to that film and uses them as a jumping-off point to tell a new and compelling story.

There is so much to love here. The cinematography is reminiscent of Kubrick, with its proclivity for colorful and textural imagery juxtaposed with stillness and silence. Long careful shooting yields beautiful results, making this a film you could enjoy even with the sound off. That said, I’d recommend leaving it on. The score is haunting and beautiful, cutting ephemerally through the silence of space. I will admit, the pacing is a little slow, but it is remarkably consistent, which gives it a slightly floaty feel. I think that works well for a story set mostly in zero-gravity.

What especially stands out are the strengths in writing and acting. The script is personal, wasting little time with plodding exposition and leaving it to the camera to show you all the background information you need to understand the plot. The dialogue is instead used to develop characters and advance the emotional core of the film - which is where Brad Pitt comes in. As the film goes on, he becomes more and more emotive, and the contrast between beginning and end is incredible.

Parents trying to decide if they want to take their teens to Ad Astra will want to be aware of the film’s violent content. While there aren’t many individual incidents, the ones which do occur are quite graphic. People are shown with detailed injuries, and I wouldn’t recommend bringing a squeamish person to this film - unless they have a perverse interest in seeing what explosive decompression looks like on a big screen. Otherwise, there is remarkably little profanity, and no sexual content or drug/alcohol use.

As both a sci-fi nerd and a movie critic, this has been one of my favorite movies of the year. If you want a better idea of how this story feels, think Apocalypse Now meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s a potent combination, and it works brilliantly. It forgoes Kubrick’s typical emotional sterility and uses the additional humanity to create a story both much darker and far richer. Honestly, you can’t go wrong seeing this. I can’t think of a better way to spend two hours in the dark.