Europa ReportYear of Release: 2013
Directed By: Sebastian Cordero
Starring: Daniel Wu, Sharlto Copley, Christian Camargo, Karolina Wydra, Michael Nyqvist, Anamaria Marinca
Genre: Science-Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Overview:When unmanned probes suggest that a hidden ocean could exist underneath Europa's icy surface and may contain single-celled life, Europa Ventures, a privately funded space exploration company, sends six of the best astronauts from around the world to confirm the data and explore the revolutionary discovery. After a near-catastrophic technical failure that leads to loss of communication with Earth and the tragic death of a crew member, the surviving astronauts must overcome the psychological and physical toll of deep space travel, and survive a discovery on Europa more profound than they had ever imagined.
My Thoughts:This was a really great film, strongly grounded in actual science. All too often sci-fi only pays lip service to the science half of the genre, abandoning it for the sake of story (understandable) or effect (less). Don't think, however, that this means a film that will be dry and uninteresting, because once you get past the somewhat awkward beginning you're pulled in to the mission. There's an incredible amount of detail in the film, and an obvious love for science, exploration and discovery. The characters are aware of the importance of their mission, and act accordingly. They're an interesting enough group, as you get to know them, but they aren't easily pigeonholed into typical stereotypes (which I found really refreshing). There is no villain, but there's plenty of tension, and danger, from the reality of what they're doing and the speculative parts of the mission. It's a slow build though, so it's not for the short attention span crowd. Otherwise, this is a must see for fans of serious science fiction. Highly recommended.
Bechdel Test: Pass
Overall: 4/5
