Stowaway
Released: 2021 Run time: 116 Mins. Director: Joe Penna (Arctic) Rated: TV-MA
Stars: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, Toni Collette
A two-year trip from Earth to Mars by a team of three, to join others on a colonizing mission hits a snag when another is found injured aboard their ship. And only three can make the trip. The premise is simplistic and yet hits a home run. The stowaway in Stowaway is not an alien bent on eradicating all human life, or a parasite inhabiting a human vessel. The stowaway is Michael (Anderson, Wynona Earp), a launch technician, good meaning caregiver, and structural engineer student. He is found injured and unconscious after the crew is well on their way to Mars.
There is no nefarious plot or antagonist, except fate. The crew is simply put in a moral and difficult decision. I would not categorize this film as a slow-burn. It is methodical in it’s depiction of space travel, beginning with the original three: Commander Barnett (Collette, Hereditary), David (Kim, Lost), and Zoe (Kendrick, Pitch Perfect).
Shamier Anderson, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Toni Collette
There are several one-sided conversations in this film, communicating with those funding the Mars trip, ground control and giving an interview. One in particular stands out: Commander Barnett’s communication with the company funding the trip, Hyperion. Specifically when they mandate her to sacrifice one for the rest. Collette gives a masterclass.
Anderson’s David is a very sympathetic character, as you learn some of his back story, what he has gone through, and what he is aspiring for. The cast is exceptional, being put in a position that they all respond to differently. Their reactions feel authentic, their actions do as well.
This film is not filled with action and thrills. It touches on the human behavior and what humanity is. It is thought-provoking and challenges you to think, what would you do?
There are sacrifices made that the survivors will have to live with. In the end, you have to believe that the right decisions were made. Available now on Netflix.
In Retrospect ★★★★★
