Ad Astra

A typically idiosyncratic James Gray effort, Ad Astra follows astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) as he embarks on a deep-space journey to track down his long presumed-dead father, Clifford (Tommy Lee Jones). Filmmaker Gray, along with cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, has infused Ad Astra with an often astonishingly eye-popping visual sensibility that remains an ongoing highlight, and it’s clear, too, that the movie’s overtly visceral atmosphere ensures that certain sequences boast a far more exciting and engrossing feel that one generally associates with Gray’s output (including a gripping moon-set rover pursuit and an absolutely spellbinding horror-flick-like attack aboard a spacecraft). Pitt’s muted yet effective turn effectively anchors the proceedings through its ups and downs, although there’s little doubt that Gray can’t quite sustain a consistent level of intensity throughout the picture’s 123 minutes – with the second half slowing down considerably and suffering from a series of lulls that ultimately dull its overall impact. The uneven vibe is somewhat disappointing, to be sure, especially given the often enthralling nature of Ad Astra‘s opening hour, and yet it’s impossible, in the end, to deny the movie’s place as a fairly singular bit of sci-fi filmmaking.

*** out of ****