Ad Astra (2019)
Ad Astra (2019), directed by James Gray, is a visually stunning and introspective science fiction film that explores themes of isolation, humanity, and the quest for meaning in the vastness of space. The film follows astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt), a man on a mission to find his long-lost father and uncover the truth behind a series of mysterious space-related phenomena that threaten life on Earth.
Set in a near-future world where space exploration has become an integral part of life, Ad Astra begins with Roy, a highly disciplined and emotionally reserved astronaut, being called upon for a mission of critical importance. His father, Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), was once a celebrated astronaut, known for leading the Lima Project, an ambitious mission to search for intelligent extraterrestrial life in the outer reaches of the solar system. However, the mission ended in failure, and Clifford has been presumed dead for over 20 years, lost somewhere near the planet Neptune.
The story takes a dramatic turn when Roy is informed that strange power surges are emanating from the same area where his father’s ship, the Lima Project, was last known to be. These surges are causing catastrophic disruptions to Earth’s electrical systems and threatening global stability. Roy is tasked with a critical mission to travel to the outer planets, find his father, and shut down the source of the surges. His journey will take him from Earth to the Moon, Mars, and ultimately to the distant reaches of Neptune, where the fate of his father—and humanity—awaits.
As Roy embarks on this perilous mission, the film delves deep into his psyche. Roy is a man who has spent his life suppressing his emotions, following his military training to the letter. His strained relationship with his father, who abandoned him to pursue the Lima Project, is at the heart of his emotional conflict. Throughout his journey, Roy faces numerous physical and emotional challenges, from navigating the dangers of space travel, including an attack by space pirates on the Moon, to grappling with his own sense of isolation and loss.
On his way to Mars, Roy makes contact with his father’s former colleagues and learns of the troubled history of the Lima Project. The deeper he goes into space, the more he is forced to confront his own fears, regrets, and unresolved issues with his father. Roy’s journey becomes not just a mission to save Earth, but a profound exploration of the human condition, a search for meaning in an unforgiving universe.
As Roy reaches the outer edges of the solar system, the film’s emotional tension builds to a powerful climax. In the final moments, Roy must decide whether to carry out the mission to shut down the Lima Project, risking everything to save Earth, or to confront his father and try to understand what drove him to abandon his family for the sake of his obsession with space exploration.