The Midnight Sky (2020)

[Dave]

It's the end of the world and I feel fine. This post-apocalyptic tale (based on the book 'Good Morning, Midnight'). It follows a lone, terminally ill, scientist in the Arctic, (possibly the last man on Earth) as he races to stop Sully and her fellow astronauts (on a planetary exploration mission) from returning home. Three weeks earlier, the Earth has been subjected to a mysterious global catastrophe, known as "the Event," and caused "accidentally". Directed by George Clooney and made for Netflix (though it has had a cinematic release in some countries).

I wasn't sure about watching this. The online reviews say it is slow and boring, and I have to admit that it was a little. Also, there isn't much fun in it. It is another post-apocalyptic tale, when what we really need at the moment is some pure fantasy and distraction. It appeared (to me anyway) to be three unrelated stories, but they are all the same story, you just to need to keep watching it until the very end for the explanation. Or, what one review calls the "Ah!" moment. There are probably too many calamities suffered by all parties for one single film, "just another bad day in space" says another review, but the ending is upbeat at least.

Spoilers now....

When I say upbeat, I'm not sure how Aether is going to return to K-23 given the shape it's in, even with the slingshot data (also weren't they already in Earth orbit to launch that shuttle?) Neither can three people (one not yet born) populate K-23 (but maybe that colony ship was able to launch before the disaster struck.)

Major spoilering now...

I didn't guess Sully's identity Iris Sullivan and I missed the signs completely that the young Augustine was the older Dr. Lofthouse (but that was probably just me). I knew Iris wasn't real, but I thought she might be an alien come to help humanity. As you can see, I had no idea what was going on until the final three minutes, so if you really get bored, I suggest you just fast forward to that point. It all makes a perfect synchronicity in the end :-

Don't read this (plot twist revealed)...

While Sully didn’t know that he was her father, she had admired Dr. Lofthouse’s work enough to inspire her to become an astronaut (through the gift of a moon rock her mother passed down to her from him). So although Augustine had been totally absent for his daughter’s entire life, he was there for her when it really counted. In addition, it really counted for humanity too, because by saving her, Augustine may have saved the human species. (Sorry, about all the other life on Earth though. They're toast!)

 

[Danny McG]

I don't really think I'll watch the film.
However I've now downloaded the book Good Morning Midnight and, when time permits, I'll read that

 

[Droflet]

Ah, the reveal at the end. Yeah, a little slow for my tastes but that's why we have a fast forward button.

 

[Dave]

I watched it just so that you don't need to! Merry Christmas

 

[Ashley R]

We watched it last night. Visually interesting: design of the spaceship etc. Reasonable characters and plot, but...

It's a SF film for people who don't understand or like SF. Its plot is a cliche. So much talent wasted.

 

[Rodders]

I've added this to my watch list.

 

[Ashley R]

just went away and did some research. The book is basically literature frosted with SF tropes to explore the theme of loneliness.
Everything else is secondary to the theme. So this reinforces my opinion that it's SF written by someone who isn't into SF, for readers who don't really read SF and don't understand the genre.

All the things I would want for the world-building are glossed over, which makes it hard for me not to be thrown out of the narrative because what I would want to know is never addressed.

"Last note; this is actually a disaster story about the end of the world, with an Adam & Eve ending."

 

[Boneman]

I don't really think I'll watch the film.
However I've now downloaded the book Good Morning Midnight and, when time permits, I'll read that

Lemme know what you think, please... hoping it's much better than the movie!

 

[paranoid marvin]

Hmmm. Feels a bit like a cross between the spacey bits of Gravity combined with the weirdy bits of Interstellar , but on a Netflix budget. It was almost a good movie, but some bits that make no sense combined with the movie trying to be too clever for it's own good spoils what could have been a standout Netflix show. What could have been intruiging becomes boring and the 'twist' feels too contrived and makes little sense.

A bit of editing (it's probably about 20 minutes too long) and maybe some voiceovers would help massively. As it is there feels no - purpose is maybe the right word - to the movie.

 

[svalbard]

It was slow however I did find it enjoyable and oddly rewarding. The team in space did not fall apart and start killing each as per the norm in the genre.They were highly skilled astronauts and this was portrayed perfectly.

Clooney was Clooney and this I don't mind as I find him one of the more compelling actors of his generation.

3.5/5.

 

[Rodders]

I finally got around to watching it today and was disappointed. It wasn't that it was a slow film as there was plenty going on and on both the spaceship and the Arctic watch post, but i felt it was all a little too unreal. There was zero characterisation too and i don't think i really cared about anyone in the movie.

I thought that the Special Effects were very good, though and i really liked the look and design of the Aether,

 

[Dave]

i felt it was all a little too unreal. There was zero characterisation too

Too many unfortunate calamities made it unrealistic, but I think agree with the lack characterisation too. It's been a few months since I watched it, but I still remember the part where everyone left the observatory except the old astronomer, and I was thinking 'is no one going to miss him, or give him a hug and say goodbye forever'?

Unfortunately, there haven't been very many releases of other new films recently