In Space No One Can See You Unravel
A space movie starring Adam Sandler? If you’re a fan of his comedies, you’re probably expecting hilarious scenes of the actor’s cosmonaut character getting to grips with anti-gravity and having a close encounter with some comical aliens.
But there is nothing to laugh at in this movie. Admittedly, the same could be said about some of Sandler’s comedies – The Ridiculous 6 comes to mind – but there’s a reason why you won’t have cause to chuckle at Spaceman – this new Netflix movie isn’t a comedy!
Instead, Spaceman, which is based on the 2017 novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfar, is a reflective piece about one man getting away from his troubled marriage by taking on a space mission that takes him thousands of miles away from home.
We join Sandler’s spaceman protagonist, Jakub Prochazka, when he is 189 days into his mission. He is travelling to Jupiter to study something known as the Chopra Cloud but as he enters the final part of his journey, his mind starts to unravel.
Jakub’s poor mental state is partly the result of a lack of sleep but it can also be attributed to the loneliness he feels as he travels alone. The long-distance communication he once had with his pregnant wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan) has now all but ceased and his contact with Peter (Kunal Nayyar) and Commissioner Tuma (Isabella Rossellini) at Mission Control isn’t particularly meaningful.
But as you may have heard already, Jakub isn’t as alone as he thinks he is. The movie takes a turn for the surreal when he discovers he is sharing his spaceship with an unlikely visitor – a giant primordial spider that he names Hanus (voiced by Paul Dano). Is this ancient arachnid real? Or is it a consequence of his fractured mind?
It’s difficult to say but as the spider can tap into Jakub’s subconscious to bring up memories of his broken marriage and difficult childhood, it’s certainly possible that it is a figment of his imagination. But then again, there’s also the chance that Jakub’s 8-legged companion is real and that he is sharing his space cabin with a telepathic arachnid, so the movie is open to your interpretation.
While other characters do come into the picture at various intervals, the movie is mainly centred around Jakub as he dwells on his misfortunes. Sandler is relied upon to ground this character and bring his emotions to the fore, and to the actor’s credit, he does an excellent job.
It’s easy to forget that Sandler is a talented actor when watching the lazily-written comedies he has starred in over the years. But on evidence of his more dramatic work – Punch-Drunk Love, Uncut Gems, and now Spaceman – he’s actually one of the best actors of his generation. If he ever decided to hang up his comedy hat and move directly into more serious fare, I for one would not be complaining.
The movie’s director Johan Renck (Chernobyl) ably captures Jakub’s lonely journey by contrasting his solitary figure with beautiful shots of the vastness of space. He manages to make the interior of Jakub’s ship visually interesting too, which is a good thing, considering this is where most of the movie is set. The CGI spider is also effectively realised, and while the sight of it is initially quite frightening, it quickly becomes endearing and likeable, although arachnophobes might disagree with that last point!
It’s fair to say that Spaceman isn’t for everyone. The tone is mostly dour and there is very little humour on display, despite the comic credentials of its lead actor. That being said, the movie is never boring, despite the abundance of introspection and lack of action. However, even those people who enjoy Sandler’s dramatic works might struggle with the philosophical aspects of the movie’s story which take precedence over plot momentum.
Still, if they do get tired of Jakub dwelling on his past and his journey of self-discovery, they still have the sight of a giant spider getting a “taste of home” by eating chocolate to lift their attention span!
Read More: Spaceman Ending Explained
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Verdict - 7/10
7/10