Passengers (2016)

"Every Moment Counts"

Directed by Morten Tyldum
Produced by Neal H. Moritz, Stephen Hamel, Michael Maher, Ori Marmur
Written by Jon Spaihts
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne, Andy García
Music by Thomas Newman
Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto
Edited by Maryann Brandon
Production companies: LStar Capital, Village Roadshow Pictures, Wanda Pictures, Original Film, Company Films, Start Motion Pictures
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date: 21 December 2016 (United States)
Running time: 116 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $110 million

"Passengers" is a romantic science-fiction adventure film directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Jon Spaihts. It tells the story of Jim Preston, a passenger who wakes up 90 years too soon from an induced hibernation on board a spaceship bound for a new planet.

Cast

• Chris Pratt as Jim Preston
• Jennifer Lawrence as Aurora Lane
• Michael Sheen as Arthur
• Laurence Fishburne as Chief Gus Mancuso
• Andy García as Admiral Norris
• Aurora Perrineau as Celeste

When you hear names like Jennifer Lawrence or Chris Pratt (or even both of them in one sentence), you can start to think that there's a good and interesting film on the horizon... But I really don't recommend to be so sure.

Over 5000 colonists are transported to Homestead II, a planet so far from Earth the journey takes 120 years. All passengers are placed into hibernation for the journey, but a malfunction wakes up one of them, mechanical engineer Jim Preston, too early. After a year of loneliness he decides to find a partner - and that's how Aurora Lane becomes awoken as well.

Actually, "Passengers" is neither a thriller nor a drama - it's a melodrama in outer space, and no, it doesn't sound very exciting. A man has no idea what to do on board of the starship and he deals with it ruining a life of an other person - an ambitious writer with the bright future. And what is the result? Love saves everything, love saves everybody, blah blah blah... And the sweet happy ending makes the sense of the film even worse. 

In my opinion, the main problem of the movie is its screenplay which has lots of plot holes and even more too pretentious dialogues. As for the cast, Chris Pratt plays a nice guy (as always) and copes with his role, while Jennifer Lawrence overacts at times. However I must admit that in the film they look quite good together.

Of course, there are some advantages like brilliant Thomas Newman's score and amazing visual effects which at least let you feel the cosmic atmosphere. But don't expect "Passengers" to become a new "Interstellar" or "The Martian" - because it's just not anything like them.

Advantages

• Michael Sheen as Arthur
• Music
• Visual effects

Disadvantages

• The screenplay

"Strangenesses"

• What is the background?
• What is the sense?

Clue Moments

• Jim's awakening
• A year of isolation
• Aurora's awakening
• The truth
• Gus
• ID
• Repairing the starship
• Jim's sacrifice
• A chance
• The tree

Soundtracks

1. Thomas Newman - The Starship Avalon (Main Title)
2. Thomas Newman - Hibernation Pod 1625
3. Thomas Newman - Command Ring
4. Thomas Newman - Rate 2 Mechanic
5. Thomas Newman - Awake for 7 Days
6. Thomas Newman - Crystalline
7. Thomas Newman - Precious Metals
8. Thomas Newman - Aurora
9. Thomas Newman - Robot Questions
10. Thomas Newman - The Sleeping Girl
11. Thomas Newman - Build a House and Live in It
12. Thomas Newman - I Tried Not To…
13. Thomas Newman - Spacewalk
14. Thomas Newman - Passengers
15. Thomas Newman - 50% of Light Speed
16. Thomas Newman - Cascade Failure
17. Thomas Newman - Zero – Gravity
18. Thomas Newman - Never Happy Here
19. Thomas Newman - Red Giant
20. Thomas Newman - Looking for Wrong
21. Thomas Newman - Chrysler Bldg.
22. Thomas Newman - Untethered
23. Thomas Newman - You Brought Me Back
24. Thomas Newman - Starlit
25. Thomas Newman - Accidental Happiness
26. Thomas Newman - Sugarcoat the Galaxy (End Title)

Quotations

* * *

Arthur: You two look fine this evening.
Aurora: We're on a date.
Arthur: Very nice.
Aurora: [to Jim] Took you long enough to ask. So why'd you give up your life on Earth?

* * *

Jim Preston: [seeing Aurora in a beautiful black dress] Wow.
Aurora: You clean up pretty good yourself.

* * *

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 6/10

Entertainment: 7/10

Acting: 6/10

Originality: 6/10

Music and Sound: 7/10

6/10