Being a common fan for space fiction and up-coming technology, I had a feeling that Ad Astra was going to have an in-depth backstory and some major action scenes. The movie was rated 83% by Rotten Tomatoes, and an 80% by Metacritic which had the viewers on the edge of our seats the whole time. This drama/fantasy was not based off a book or comic, simply an original story written and directed by James Gray and co-writer Ethan Gross. With their goal to bring excitement to the screen with the one and only Brad Pitt as the main character, the entire production overall reached success with their intent to make an “eerily realistic” sci-fi movie. The idea was to have such a near-future view that it had the details and a very mental breakdown of space today.

The story begins with Roy McBride, played by Brad Pitt, one of the best astronauts of his age and his personal, struggling relationship with his father, the infamous Clifford McBride; a brilliant astronaut gone missing over 15 years ago. McBride copes with his doubts about his past and the truth behind his father’s space mission which brought him to abandon Roy and his mother at a young age. Along with this McBride’s relationship with his father makes him a key part to saving the world altogether, as his father is behind the destruction brought upon Earth currently.

Aside from his past, McBride thinks over his own relations and his estranged wife Eve played by Liv Tyler who he loves dearly. As this continues we see him fall apart as he loses what truly did mean the most to him. As each scene was building up to the bigger story, the movie was filled with extra conversations that seemed to have a purpose but still confused me at certain points. Though this threw off small parts of the movie, everything the director wanted us to know for the end, was executed extremely well. 

The acting was simple but Pitt delivered an amazing performance, clearly making sure every in-depth point and aspect of the movie was shown. This came from not only Pitt, but every actor including Tommy Lee James who played Clifford McBride, Ruth Negga who acted as Helen Lantos, and Donald Sutherland taking the role of Thomas Pruitt. Each actor expressing the effects of loss and pain. The role was handled perfectly by Brad Pitt, I felt he took to his character like his own self, the feelings experienced, and personality traits of Roy McBride. Ad Astra is definitely a movie I’d recommend seeing if advanced technology, space interaction, and deep, detailed plots are what you’re interested in. I promise you’ll be tied into the movie the entire time, whether it’s from the intriguing settings, or each character development.