I’ve never been to space, but I think it’s safe to assume it’s a lonely, claustrophobic experience. Being surrounded by a cold, dark void hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth could certainly have a negative effect on the mental well-being of anybody not fully prepared for the treacherous journey. Slingshot, starring Casey Affleck (The Instigators) and Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), is the newest film to tackle these themes and ideas, although it does so in a way that feels redundant and predictable.
The story in Bleecker Street Films’ Slingshot
As Earth’s resources continue to diminish and life on the planet is looking more dire, three highly skilled astronauts are chosen to embark on a dangerous mission to Saturn’s moon, Titan. To reach the moon, which has an atmosphere denser than Earth’s and shows evidence of stable bodies of surface water, they will have to use Jupiter’s gravitational pull to “slingshot” them in Titan’s direction. It’s a precision move that will be difficult to pull off. It’s a long trip (1.5 billion miles according to Affleck’s John) that requires intermittent hibernation cycles, which have adverse side effects on the mental stability of the crew.
There are a lot of ideas floating around in Slingshot. Most of them are floating aimlessly, like an astronaut experiencing zero gravity, and almost none of them are new or original. The isolation of outer space and its tolls on the human psyche have been explored in countless films, although few have done it better than Duncan Jones’ Moon (2009). As we watch the three astronauts lose their grips on reality and their behavior becomes more and more erratic, the impact of their psychosis never quite lands.
The story begins midway through the two-year journey to Titan. The team awakes from their sleep chambers, and we’re slowly introduced to the ins and outs of maintaining and operating the ship; however, the erratic behavior and questioning of what’s real and what’s not begins almost immediately. The effects of nearly a year in space, coupled with the side effects of the chemicals used to induce sleep, have already begun to take their toll. There’s no baseline for what these men were like at the beginning of their journey and as a result, their descent is less impactful a normalcy to compare it against.
Through recurring flashbacks we get to know John and understand his life on Earth. These flashbacks are used primarily to expand on his relationship with Zoe, played by Emily Beechan (Hail, Caesar!). John’s love for Zoe and the feeling of desperation caused by their separation is the primary factor in John’s struggles with reality.
It’s another trope we’ve seen a thousand times, including earlier this year in the Adam Sandler starring Spaceman. Tropes and clichés are a necessary part of genre filmmaking, but Slingshot fails to bring anything new out of them or to use them in interesting ways. It shows us that Zoe and John love one another through surface level depictions of kisses and playful touches, but it never makes that love feel real or meaningful.
Laurence Fishburne and other cast give mostly strong performances in this sci-fi thriller
I was first introduced to Laurence Fishburne at the age of twelve when I watched The Matrix in theaters. It was an awe-inspiring performance that led me to seek out his earlier works like Boyz n the Hood and Deep Cover. He’s a master of line delivery, and his commanding presence alone can elevate even the most poorly written material. The Fishburne we see in Slingshot uses his natural talents to coast through each scene. He never seems to fully commit to the role, but still remains the highlight of the film.
Casey Affleck brings his typical nonchalance to what begins as a fairly minimal performance, but he truly shines in the film’s third act when he’s unrestrained.
Slingshot is far from a failure, but its ambitions to keep audiences guessing are ultimately a detriment to its story. It’s mostly unsuccessful at being surprising, and forecasts the bulk of its twists and turns far in advance. There are a handful of intriguing ideas presented, especially near the film’s climax, but they’re ultimately restrained by a poorly executed delivery. It revs its engines, but fails to make blast off.
Slingshot hits theaters on August 30, 2024. Are you going to check out this movie? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus.
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