Tense Sci-Fi Thriller Is The Ultimate R-Rated Extinction Event You Missed

Written by Robert Scocchi | Published 36 seconds ago

There’s nothing lonelier than the deepest, darkest depths of outer space, especially when you’re on a years-long mission away from everything you love on Earth. 2019 3022 This isolated horror is pushed into new territory when astronauts heading toward Jupiter’s moon, Europa, learn that Earth has been destroyed, meaning there is no way to ever return home. A taut, tense sci-fi thriller that doubles as a survival thriller. 3022 is a claustrophobic existential exercise in paranoia that depicts exactly how this situation leads to the collapse of the social order and individuals scrambling to figure out how to survive their mission, knowing that they now have a one-way ticket to Europe.

A thoughtful, low-budget entry that explores the human condition through the lens of prolonged isolation, 3022 It works thanks to its strong lead characters and their willingness to commit to the on-screen repercussions. Sad but strangely optimistic, 3022 He looks for answers and solutions where there are none, in which case the journey is more important than the destination.

A crew on the verge of collapse

3022 The film revolves around the four members of the Pangea crew: Captain John Lane (Omar Epps), engineer Jackie Miller (Kate Walsh), doctor Richard Phalen (Angus Macfadyen), and crew member Lisa Brown (Miranda Cosgrove). Five years into their mission to Europa One, Earth’s first space colony in the year 2190, Dr. Valin comes to the conclusion that the deteriorating mental health of the crew will harm the mission and suggests canceling the mission before the point of no return is reached. While the rest of the crew comes to terms with the fact that their careers are effectively over, a massive shock wave damages their ship, and they lose all radio contact with Earth.

Fearing the worst, Dr. Valin suspects there is no Earth to return to, putting the already exhausted crew in an even worse predicament. They will likely be unable to finish their mission or return home and will eventually run out of oxygen and supplies. After completely losing track of time, the surviving crew members live like this for what seems like forever, but it is impossible to know how long they have been in space without any communication.

About to take suicide pills to preemptively end their mission, John and Jackie spot another spacecraft in the distance and receive a group of astronauts from the International Space Station, who quickly prove to be a strain on their already limited resources.

Perhaps the antagonist is the crew members we lose along the way

As clear as 3022 The story is that I found myself losing interest from time to time because there was no clear opponent. Sure, some of the crew become increasingly unstable, and character introductions in the third act add a level of drama and suspense to the premise, but there’s no inherent evil at play here. There’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t expect alien control or a hostile takeover.

The real collapse in 3022 He is among the crew, who all share the same goal but lack the means or mental stability to achieve it. Jackie is grieving for her lost family, John is suffering from night terrors and hallucinations, and the rescued crew members are looking out for their own interests, which creates tension, but it’s the same kind of tension you’d expect from an unprecedented situation like this.

Tends to its limits

For its low budget, which was not publicly announced but leans toward the budget, it was influenced by set pieces for the interior of Pangea, as well as wide establishing shots that show just how small humanity is in the grand scheme of things. The lighting and sound design heighten the suspense without feeling forced, and for what it is, 3022 It delivers the feeling it is trying to evoke: the fear resulting from long periods of isolation.

A tight 90-minute hour that’s sometimes fun to look at; 3022 It won’t change your life, but it’s a solid vital piece to use when you’re in the mood for atmospheric sci-fi. As of this writing, you can stream it on Tubi.