2018 / 106m - Sweden
Sci-fi
2.5*/5.0*
Aniara poster

Watches

July 30, 2020

2.5*/5.0*

Aniara is the kind of sci-fi film that isn't too occupied with the future, instead it uses futuristic elements to have a good old moan about the present/society. It's been done countless times before, so it all comes down to execution and that's where directors Lilja and Kagerman could've done better.

The film follows a colonization ship on its way to Mars, when it is knocked out of its course with no means to get back on the right track. As this mini-society travels aimlessly through space, the structures that keep their commune together slowly starts to crumble and chaos inevitably ensues.

The budget is low, which is always a challenge for sci-fi, but I don't feel Lilja and Kagerman did enough to get the dread and hopelessness of the ship's situation across. The cinematography is decent but unadventurous, the soundtrack fell a little flat. And the performances couldn't save this either. It's not a terrible film, just a little underwhelming.