Spaceman

Adam Sandler is quite selective with his dramatic efforts, and he generally chooses rather well when films like Punch-Drunk Love, Hustle and Uncut Gems are taken into consideration. Less so when films like Spanglish, The Cobbler, and yes, Spaceman are also in the lineup. It’s a feature that tries to be many things, too many things, and the finished product is a derivative and kind of bland sci-fi movie that’s ponderous when it’s trying to be profound.

Sandler is Jakub, a Czech astronaut on a solo one-year mission to the far reaches of the solar system to investigate a mysterious pink dust cloud that appeared in space some four years previously. He’s left behind his pregnant wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan), who is planning to leave their marriage. His solitude is interrupted by the mysterious appearance of Hanuš (voiced by Paul Dano), a space creature that resembles a massive tarantula, and who claims to be as old as the universe itself. There’s a lot to unpack here, so it’s a real shame that most of it stays firmly packed up.

There are elements of Interstellar, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, High Life, and many other sci-fi films that attempt to deal with the metaphysical side of space exploration. These other features simply do it better. Jakub’s isolation (and its emotional effects) are discussed, but it’s never mentioned why a massive space mission is best performed by a single astronaut. However, Sandler turns in a fine, committed performance, and he’s never been more emotionally vulnerable onscreen.

It’s curious why Mulligan signed on, since her scenes are fairly thankless. Her reasons for leaving Jakub are inadequately explored, and her internal reasoning is apparently supposed to be enough. It makes the character a little emotionally obtuse, and even selfish. The character development needed to establish her motivation (and give it meaning) is simply absent.

It’s hard to believe that Jakub’s love for Lenka is what drives him as he crosses the galaxy, and while Sandler and Mulligan both deliver sturdy performances, there’s very little chemistry between the two. The CGI Hanuš looks a little clumsy from certain angles, like the visual effects would have benefitted from another pass. It’s hard to fault the ambition of Spaceman, but to watch the film is to be reminded of those that came before it – and did it better.

Oliver Johnston

Spaceman is released on Netflix on 1^st March 2024.

Watch the trailer for Spaceman here: