I.S.S.

US, 2023, 95 Minutes, Colour.

Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr, Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin, Pilou Asbaek.

Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite.

I.S.S. stands for international space station. The film takes place in the near future, building on the rapport between Russia and the United States after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The audience accompanies two new appointees to the station, played by John Gallagher Jr and Oscar winner for West Side Story, Ariana DeBose. She is involved in medical studies. They meet the American commander, played by Chris Messina, and three Soviet astronauts. They have been trained to survive on the space station and to learn each other’s language to communicate.

The premise of the drama is that war breaks out on earth, each team receives a message to beware of the others and to take over the spacecraft. What follows is some drama, conflict, deceptions, some violent outbursts of mistrust.

This is a film for those who enjoy films in space, thinking back to 2001, A Space Odyssey, and through the decades to more recent films like Gravity, Ad Astra, First Man…

1. The title, international Space Station, the initial explanations, bonds between Russia and the US, collaboration in space, scientific and medical investigations?
2. The plausibility of the plot, the reality of space stations, Soviet and American alliances, the possibility of war, nuclear disaster and consequences?
3. The visuals of the space station and shuttle, the interiors, the exteriors, floating through space, the overview of earth? The musical score?
4. Entering into the action, Kira and Christian, the shuttle, their training, English-language, Russian language? Christian and his talk about his family? The arrival, the welcome, adjusting, speaking English, the attempts in Russian? Gordon Barrett, in charge, personality, the welcome, his relationship with moronic? The two Russians, personalities, skills, Liosha and Kira and their shared interest in medical research, the animal specimens, their deaths?
5. The work in collaboration, friendliness?
6. Kira seeing the eruptions, the vastness, each side receiving messages to take charge, the Americans hesitating, the Russians in action?
7. The conflict and strategies, the Russians, stating the antenna was broken, Gordon going out, no breakage, the loss of communications, his going into space, Nikolai and his control, Liosha and his change of heart, bringing Gordon back?
8. Weronika, the relationship with Gordon, her upset, her getting Kira on side, to save the new medical research, Kira feeling betrayed, Christian and the attack, her confronting the Russians, the news of Gordon’s death, upset and anger, Christian hitting her, her death? Gordon’s arrival back, grief?
9. Christian, talking about his family, taking the research, preparing the shuttle, curate discovering this, the confrontation? The fighting with Nikolai, Nikolai and his sense of duty, the struggle, suspension, each killing the other?
10. Liosha and Kira remaining, having to bond, preparing to leave – and not knowing where they would land or what the future will be?
11. An addition to space exploration films, memories of Cold War, Cold War reigniting, conflicts, sense of duty, loyalties?