Tensions flare in the near future aboard the International Space Station when a worldwide conflict breaks out on Earth. Soon, the U.S. and Russian astronauts each receive orders from the ground: take control of the station by any means necessary.
Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Cast: Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr., Maria Mashkova, Costa Ronin, Pilou Asbæk
Release Date: January 19, 2024
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated R for some violence and language
Runtime: 1h 35m
Review:
I.S.S. uses its hypothetical situation and claustrophobic setting to deliver some solid moments of tension thanks, in large part, to focused performances from its ensemble cast even though it struggles to nail the landing. Gabriela Cowperthwaite shows a steady hand throughout, delivering an efficient thriller that's laser focused on ratcheting up the tension while managing to keep the human side surprisingly grounded. This is the type of film that could have easily devolved into a clichéd 80's cold war era film turning the characters into caricatures with little to no shades of grey. Cowperthwaite manages to avoid most of those pitfalls thanks to a script that's elevated by its committed cast. Ariana DeBose is solid in the lead role, giving her character far more depth than what's on the page. Chris Messina and John Gallagher Jr. play her compatriots with varying degrees of effectiveness since certain turns are telegraphed a mile away. On the other end, Maria Mashkova, Costa Ronin and Pilou Asbæk play the Russian crew with surprising effectiveness with Ronin being saddled with the most generic character of the group. Mashkova and Asbæk are given more latitude to give their characters more texture and humanity. Asbæk, in particular, is incredibly watchable throughout as his character's trajectory follows an unexpected path as the film moves on. Asbæk's performance is fascinating even as the film starts to move into goofier, anti gravity fights aren't cool looking, territory in its final act. The last act struggles to find a way to wrap up the story, so it ends in a purposely ambiguous way that's sure to annoy more than a few viewers.
C+
