HIGH LIFE

2018, UK, France, Poland, 113 minutes. Colour.
Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Andre Benjamin, Mia Goth, Agata Buzek, Lars Eidinger.
Directed by Claire Denis.

When does a space mission becomes a space Odyssey or, more ‘mundanely’, so to speak, just lost in space?

These could be some of the speculations for an audience who is watching this intergalactic saga but who are not exactly drawn into its drama and momentum. This has been the case with many an audience, even a sympathetic audience to the films of French director, Claire Dennis, especially her African films, Chocolat and Beau Travail, to the presence of Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche in the cast.

The screenplay for this film is intentionally enigmatic. The audience is required to exercise its mind a great deal, to pay attention to clues given throughout the film to build up a timeline, to try to understand the background of the travellers in this spaceship as well as the purpose of the mission. While there are a number of characters on the spaceship (although there is no indication of those piloting and steering the spaceship through space to find a black hole, nor maintenance crew, cleaners, cooks…), Men and women, are not as clearly differentiated as we might like. Nor do we immediately understand the nature of their behaviour, the antagonisms. And, gradually, the audience begins to understand the sexuality issues, experimentation, brutality, and emerging experiments in reproduction.

The focus of the film is on Robert Pattinson who seems to be alone in space, tending the lavish garden for vegetables, and caring for a baby. We soon realise that the major part of the film is flashbacks, our gradually learning that those on board are criminals, given another chance in going on this expedition, hoping to draw vast energy from the black hole destination. The second focus of attention is on Juliette Binoche who seems to be in charge of the health of the prisoners, supervising their sexual behaviour, experimenting on reproduction. She too, we find, is a criminal and it is difficult to decide how much we identify with her or not.

The film suddenly moves to its ending scene, Pattinson with his daughter grown up, the approach of a similar space vehicle (with dogs but no human survivors), and father and daughter embarking on… We will never know.

There is certainly an audience for this kind of introverted, intellectual space explorations. But, many have found this film to enigmatic, not enough exposition for an intellectual and emotional response or connection. A number of commentators suggest that it is symbolic of the world, of the universe and human experience (some suggesting that it is vast, empty, going nowhere).

The tone of the title suggests a completely other kind of cinema experience here on earth.

1. The tone of the title? For a space mission film?

2. The setting, in vast space, indeterminate time? The nature of the mission? To find the black hole, to draw energy? The experience of space, alternate vehicles? The experience of the black hole?

3. The interior of the spacecraft, clean and orderly, the rooms, the corridors, laboratory? The importance of the garden, luxury and, supporting the mission?

4. The introduction to Monte? Working in the garden? His relationship with the baby? Tending it? Parenting? The impression of his character?

5. The plot in the flashbacks? The introduction to Dibs, Juliette Binoche, medical care, the laboratory, chemicals and medicines, the cabin for sexual experience? The revelation of her background, killing her children and husband? Her role on the mission? Controlling the prisoners, the sexual behaviour? Her interest in reproduction? Experiments? The birth of the child?

6. Monte, the other men, criminals, their cells, interactions, sexual behaviour, the aggressive prisoner and his assault, being bashed?

7. The women, criminals, their role, interactions, with Monte, with Dibs? The characters, sexuality, reproduction?

8. Life on the mission, the criminals sentenced, any kind of redemption?

9. The daughter, her growing up, alone with her father, the relationship? The second vehicle, mystery, the dogs present, destructive interior?

10. The mission, getting into the vehicle together – to where?

11. Memories of 2001, A Space Odyssey, memories of space mission films, earth, space, different perspectives of time and place?