Among the many branches of sci-fi cinema, hard sci-fi remains one of the most fascinating — and, strangely, one of the least popular. 2001: A Space Odyssey is a foundational movie that everyone should see at some point, but it can’t match what more modern epics like Interstellar and Gravity have achieved in terms of cultural impact. Science fiction is interesting on its own because it lacks boundaries. But shouldn’t realistic, more grounded sci-fi be more appealing in terms of widespread popularity?
There isn’t a film that deserves more re-evaluation than James Gray’s hard sci-fi epic Ad Astra. Starring Brad Pitt in one of his finest performances, it is a good example of a hard sci-fi project that adheres to the conventions of this variation of the genre. And though no one seems to remember that the film actually exists, there’s a chance to remedy that: Ad Astra has just been added to Tubi’s streaming library, meaning you can (and should) revisit it without paying a single dime.
Ad Astra had a great critical reception, and today it sits at 83% on the critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the audience score is much lower, at 40% – a number that mirrors the film’s underwhelming box office performance (more on that below). Regardless, it deserves to be among the best in the annals of hard sci-fi, the subgenre that relies on the plausible instead of the impossible.
Why the film fell flat with audiences is confounding (more on that later), especially given the impressive visuals that made it feel like a spiritual successor to Interstellar. You don’t have to take it from us, as you can catch a glimpse of them in the trailer below.
A Beautiful, Compelling Story That Rises Above Hard Sci-Fi Tropes
In Ad Astra, Brad Pitt plays Roy McBride, an astronaut who accepts a very dangerous mission for the sake of the human species. Earth falls under a major threat when cosmic rays originating near Neptune affect the planet. The otherworldly event is coming from a location where Roy’s father, Clifford, was stationed during a mission to find extraterrestrial life.
Estranged from his wife, the lonely astronaut Roy embarks on a journey that will take him to unforeseen depths across the solar system. What he finds at his destination is an encounter that will force him to look back at his past and re-evaluate the strained relationship he has always had with his father.
Why ‘Ad Astra’ Should Have Been a Much Bigger Blockbuster
Ad Astra had it all: the production value was high, it was backed by 20th Century Fox (amid its acquisition by Disney), and the production budget went as high as $100 million. However, the film’s most important asset was Brad Pitt. The actor was getting awards buzz for his performance in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, which ultimately earned him an Academy Award, and he was starring in a non-conventional sci-fi project with a powerful and emotional story. Everything should have gone great.
And then it didn’t. Ad Astra was pushed back from its original release date and finally premiered in September 2019, after previously screening at the Venice Film Festival. Nonetheless, even though it had a great critical reception since its festival premiere, the response by audiences wasn’t nearly as good. On opening weekend, it only made $19 million, with a final domestic gross of a little over $50 million. In the end, the global gross was $135 million – a result that Disney/Fox saw as a box office flop.
So, yes. The film had it all, and yet it failed to capture the attention of audiences, despite the presence of a major film star who was top-billed in every single piece of its marketing campaign. It is undeniably a symptom of how hard sci-fi has failed to make an impact in modern times.
Modern audiences may not be as interested in hard sci-fi stories like they were decades ago. Today, viewers will connect more with franchise movies, such as Avatar and Dune, or commercial giants, like the Avengers films. Unfortunately, realistic and emotional sci-fi movies like Ad Astra are simply not as popular today. As time passes, hard sci-fi films will likely wane in popularity, while epic crossover franchises continue to grow more than the subtle, emotional stories this subgenre has to offer.
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