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This is a sci-fi movie that heavily incorporates its influences and attempts at humor, almost as if it is being pulled into a strong gravitational force. It is based on the absurdist Czech novel Spaceman of Bohemia and directed by Johan Renck, who is known for his work in television, particularly the drama series Chernobyl. The resulting film on Netflix is a dull and uninteresting tale of a Czech astronaut on a sponsored mission to space, who must constantly repeat ad slogans during his radio transmissions to Earth, which comes across as forced satire.
A Czech astronaut is unexpectedly sent on a mission to explore clusters of luminous particles remaining from the birth of the universe in the distant corners of the galaxy. However, his extended time in solitude drives him to the brink of madness and he starts to imagine a giant spider aboard the spaceship, offering therapy for his troubled marriage. It is unclear whether the spider is a figment of his imagination or a real presence.
Unfortunately, the film does not feature any Czech actors, which means that the intended humor of the non-American and non-Nasa elements in this Czech space mission is lost. Even the nod to Tarkovsky’s “Solaris” falls short. Adam Sandler plays Jakub, a tired and bearded astronaut in space, while Carey Mulligan plays his pregnant wife Lenka back on Earth, brooding in their gloomy home. Lenka’s video message to her husband, announcing that she is leaving him, is intercepted by the flight commander at mission control, played by Isabella Rossellini. Interestingly, the spider character, voiced by Paul Dano, refers to Jakub as “skinny human,” despite being much skinnier itself. One can only wonder how many humans this spider has encountered.
The supposed comedy is attributed to the large, talkative spider, reminiscent of a less intimidating version of Alien. Sadly, Sanders and Mulligan do not have any humorous lines, despite their comedic talent. (It’s worth noting that Rossellini was on the show 30 Rock.) As Jakub’s spacecraft drifts into the sunset-colored clouds of stars, he experiences flashbacks to the beginning of his relationship with Lenka, leading him into a trance-like state similar to Malick’s style. However, Lenka’s character is poorly developed and we are left unsure of why she fell in love with Jakub or why she fell out of love with him. As they embark on a cosmic journey, Lenka seems to be rediscovering her love for Jakub, but it ultimately leads to nowhere.
Source: theguardian.com
