Review of Ad Astra

First things first, this movie is slow, and probably not for everyone. Chalk it up to a misleading trailer cutting all of the action scenes together, but this movie is far from a high-octane space adventure. Rather it's a contemplative character study that happens to be set in space. If that alone doesn't sound appealing to you, then it is unlikely that the A+ visuals and top-notch acting will make a difference (even though this movie has both in spades). However, if you are willing to set aside expectations of mile-a-minute thrills to watch a true artist weave a touching and thematically deep story, then boy are you in for a treat. This was my first James Gray movie but it certainly won't be my last. The writing is very understated - it's often about what isn't said - but ultimately comes together to tell a beautiful story of family and letting go of the past. The directing is PHENOMENAL. Full stop. Many will complain that it's too slow, or that the physics were unrealistic (I never realized how many IMDb reviewers had degrees in astrophysics, golly!), and to them that may be a deal breaker, but for me it was well worth the price of a ticket. In times of unoriginality and creative bankruptcy in Hollywood, we look to Ad Astra for answers!