You’d be forgiven for thinking that, with the calibre on board, Passengers is a film that almost sells itself. Not only does it feature two of the hottest stars on planet Earth in Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, but Sony’s visual delight also touts Morten Tyldum at the helm, director of The Imitation Game and the really rather excellent Norwegian thriller, Headhunters. Toss in a Black List script penned by Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, Doctor Strange) and you have all the makings of a bona fide crowd-pleaser. At least, that’s the glass-half-full estimation.
In the unlikely event that this is your first point of contact with Passengers, you should know that Tyldum’s upcoming sci-fi romance centers on Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Dunn (Jennifer Lawrence), two intergalactic commuters bound for a distant Earth-like planet known as Homestead II – and we do mean distant.
Even with the super-sleek Starship Avalon, Jim and Aurora’s journey is expected to last around 120 years, during which time they and their fellow passengers will be safely housed up and essentially frozen in the ship’s sleeping chambers. But questions begin to emerge thick and fast when Jim and Aurora are forced out of stasis 90 years ahead of schedule, teeing up a story that looks to involve as much fiery romance as it does genuine intrigue.
Passengers, also starring Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne and Andy Garcia, will descend into theaters on December 21, a release date it currently shares with Assassin’s Creed, Patriots Day and the star-studded Sing.
