Directed by Morten Tyldum, “Passengers” is a glossy and
silly Sci fi hybrid (part romance, part disaster flick) starring Chris Pratt
and Jennifer Lawrence as sexy space travelers who get stranded in space. And
then fall in love. And then have to avert a mega disaster, while looking all
sexy. It’s fascinating, sometimes entertaining, sometimes corny and ultimately…
an infuriating misfire. Its final act is simply horrendous, sullying the rest
of the picture and leaving a bitter taste in your mouth.
In deep space we’re brought aboard The Avalon; a state of
the art, self-sufficient travel vessel (a space cruise ship if you will)
transporting over five thousand people to a distant colony. Since the journey
will take one hundred years, all the crew and passengers are currently in
Hypersleep. But oh no! Due to a malfunction, passenger Jim Preston (Chris
Pratt) is woken up ninety years early and is left alone. These opening fifteen
minutes or so are solid; resembling an outer space set “Cast Away.” Jim takes advantage
of all the ship’s luxuries and technology while also feeling a crushing sense
of loneliness and depression. Being stuck on a travel vessel, knowing that
you’re going to die before you reach your destination would be difficult to
process.
Tyldum effectively conveys the utter helplessness Jim feels,
even while aboard this high tech vessel. Despite all the technology, the robots
and computer programs designed to cater to his every need, Jim is very much
alone. Even a wisecracking bartender Android played by the delightful Michael
Sheen can’t fully replace the companionship of another human. And while the
smart computers can be accommodating and relay facts about the ship and the
mission they can’t provide any real answers to Jim’s predicament. The question:
“why did I wake up so early?” is answered with “our Hypersleep pods almost
never breakdown.” Yeah, thanks. “Passengers” is about the limits and failures
of technology. It can destroy us just as much as it can help us.
After a year in solitude, Jim finally gets a human companion
in the form of Aurora Lane (Lawrence). The two strike up a friendship (I mean,
what else are they going to do?) that eventually turns to romance. Pratt and
Lawrence have decent chemistry together although the love story often comes off
schmaltzy rather than genuinely romantic, their courting feeling forced rather
than organic.
Speaking of schmaltz, “Passengers” encounters its fair share
when it attempts to be more of a serious drama. The script by Jon Spaihts is rife with clunky and corny lines of
dialogue that read like taglines from a motivational poster. Moments that should
be poignant and moving are overly melodramatic and unintentionally hilarious--
like when Jim floats out into space (while attached to a rope) and, as he looks
on at the awe-inspiring galaxy, he sheds a single tear. No doubt missing his
home, his fellow humans! Pratt is part of the problem; while his comedic
instincts are effortless (he’s doing the same goofy, cocky shtick he’s done
multiple times before) his dramatic skills are still underdeveloped. His
overacting usually takes you out of the film. “Passengers” works best as a playful
space rom-com with Jim and Aurora flirting, pretending to live the life of
luxury, making the most of their time together.
However these flaws seem almost insignificant in comparison
to the narrative nosedive the picture takes in the third act. The problem stems
from a dark and icky plot point near the beginning of the picture (involving Aurora)
that drastically alters the situation and paints Jim as a creepy character. The
problem isn’t the twist itself but the way Tyldum and co. handle it, or rather
the way they don’t handle it.
When Aurora finds out what Jim did it predictably sends her into
an angry, emotional spiral. Though instead of exploring Jim’s deed and its negative
repercussions in a deep and thoughtful way, the film suddenly pivots into a rushed
and incoherent disaster film wherein Jim and Aurora have to save the ship from
certain doom. The whole section feels strained and desperate —as if the
producers came in at the last second and demanded that the picture have an
epic, explosion filled finale. The camera work is disorienting and the editing
is choppy. More importantly, it’s a cheap and insulting way of sidestepping
this important plot point/issue. Even more frustrating, “Passengers” has the
nerve to revert back to a sappy, upbeat romance during its resolution. One final
attempt to avoid the issue.
“Passengers” has good qualities, even great qualities but
the disastrous third act and shoddy handling of what is deeply disturbing plot
point greatly overshadows said qualities.
