It would be nice if a top-notch ensemble cast and an engaging premise were enough to guarantee a passable movie at the very least, but The Space Between Us was one of just many reminders that no amount of talent in the world can polish a turd that simply can’t be shined up.
Despite boasting Asa Butterfield, Gary Oldman, Carla Gugino, BD Wong, and Britt Robertson in major roles – while Logan Paul was also there for some reason – director Peter Chelsom’s despicably dull existential fable failed to lift off on any level. A 16 percent Rotten Tomatoes score saw it take a critical pounding, and a box office take of just $16 million ensured the $30 million production wound up in a red more vivid than that of Mars.
Speaking of the red planet, Butterfield leads the line as the first human born on the distant rock, and strikes up an online friendship with Robertson’s enthusiastic teenager. When young Gardner Elliot makes his maiden trip back to Earth, problems arise when an egregious scientific oversight notes that his Martian-born body can’t withstand our atmosphere.
Undeterred, he heads off on the run anyway, with a journey of self-discovery becoming more important than survival. The pieces were all there to make The Space Between Us into something special, but it would be an understatement to say that it didn’t come together. Nonetheless, sci-fi is always a draw on-demand, which might be why FlixPatrol has named the forgotten failure as one of the most-watched features on Starz as we head into the weekend, because it’s not been selected on quality or reputation.
Published: Feb 24, 2023 12:24 pm