By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
What if Russia and America engaged in nuclear war? “I.S.S.” explores that what if scenario which has been contemplated and feared since the late 1940s. With current events the way they are, this has once again revived that Cold War scenario into the forefront of public consciousness. This film uses the plausible scenario as the backdrop for a story that is sometimes interesting and intense, while other times too farfetched and stereotypical.
The International Space Station is a symbol of scientific cooperation between the United States and Russia, where astronauts from both countries collaborate on research. When Dr. Kira Foster (Ariana DeBose) makes her first journey to the I.S.S., she quickly realizes the other two American astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts share a familiar bond with each other from being isolated together for months on end. The foundation of this friendly collaboration is shaken to its core when they witness what could only be nuclear explosions occurring on Earth.
Both Gordon Barrett (Chris Messina) and Nicholai Pulov (Costa Ronin) receive the same message from their respective governments before communication is lost, take control of the I.S.S. by any means necessary. Trust and relationships are put to the ultimate test as Kira, Gordon, Nicholai and their three colleagues, Christian (John Gallagher Jr.), Weronika (Masha Mashkova), and Alexey (Pilou) wonder who will strike first. One thing is certain, when that first move is made, war is destined to break out aboard the confined space station, and there is nowhere to hide.
Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite does a fine job with this sci-fi thriller, despite having no experience in the genre. The documentary director of “Blackfish” successfully finds a way to harness the fear of a realistic premise and place the audience in that moral dilemma. “I.S.S.” was not an easy film to make, having to replicate a zero-gravity environment. She overcame this challenge using harnesses with several people assigned to keep each actor in midair, somehow making it believable that they were really filming in space. On top of this, Gabriela had to replicate the interior of the I.S.S. itself, but her attention to detail was commendable, supplying a genuine visual to the confined living/workspace these astronauts must endure. The solid cinematography and gripping score help her capture the tension filled suspense of this scenario, holding viewers’ attention and interest in the outcome.
However, her inexperience with character development does limit this film’s potential. There was simply no investment whatsoever in building each of these six characters into something more than the one-dimensional cutouts they end up being. Gabriela only hints at possible backstories but never delves into them fully and does not provide much context for each of their scientific backgrounds, which detracts from the credibility of the characters themselves. She hastily adds a romantic involvement between two of the American and Russian characters to add an emotional connection for the audience, which works to a limited extent but falls flat when it counts. Depicting images of the whole world on fire also undercuts the point of the premise that there’s anyone left on Earth to even care what happens on their little space station.
Having such a small cast with an absence of star power certainly hinders the potential success of this production. Although what they lack in recognition, they make up for in talent. Ariana DeBose is an Oscar winner from her 2021 performance as Anita in “West Side Story,” and she demonstrates good range in this leading role as the moral compass of the story. At times she portrays her character with a mask of curiosity and non-judgment, befitting a scientific mind, but when that mask falters into a facial expression of resounding fear, it is even more impactful on the audience. Ariana has a full slate of film appearances ahead of her with “Argyle” up next in February.
The other notable performance comes from the Russian born actor, Costa Ronin. He’s a talented veteran actor who excelled in TV series like “Homeland” and “The Americans.” Costa convincingly supplies that love of country over everything else in his character that allows him to commit some detestable acts yet showing that initial apprehension that makes viewers understand his inner turmoil.
With NATO currently telling Europe to prepare for war with Russia, the film’s premise is not only interesting, but also very real and scary. “I.S.S.” is a decent sci-fi thriller that plays on those fears and is a worthy watch at home more so than the theater. The lack of character development detracts from the story’s entertainment potential and turns what could have been a great film into a mediocre film.
This movie earns:
