"Cosmos"

2019 2h 8min

This is not your typical science fiction film. And that’s a good thing. While I’m a big fan of sci-fi movies with plenty of action, CGI, and special effects, I also appreciate the more subtle, thought-provoking iterations as well. In reading the backstory of “Cosmos” I was surprised to learn that it was made with absolutely no budget, and most of the equipment used was borrowed. With that kind of challenge, a film has to work pretty hard to keep the viewer engaged. This one succeeded.

 

Mike (Tom England), Harry (Joshua Ford), and Ray (Arjun Singh Panam) are three friends who have dubbed themselves “Astro-nuts”, and they’ve got the cool baseball caps with the logo on them to prove it! They head out into the country in their little station wagon crammed with all sorts of sophisticated scientific equipment. Their quest is to scan the night sky for intelligent life forms. There’s a bit of underlying tension at the beginning of the film. Ray had been working for an aerospace company, building a satellite. Just before it’s completion, his company was taken over and Mike replaced him on the project He was let go just before the satellite launched. 

 

His agitation is palpable until Harry, who’s an easy-going jokester finally brings the two together and they work out the animosity.  Soon after, while monitoring the satellite as it passes overhead things get a bit strange. The first thing that occurs is Mike picks up an unexplainable pulsing sound on his equipment. After sending out a welcoming radio message into space, he receives the distorted message back repeatedly, after an hour delay. The third thing that occurs is the satellite disappears for a few minutes as it passes overhead. 

 

The trio gets extremely excited about what has just occurred. They decide to record as much of visuals and radio transmission as possible the next time the satellite passes by. While they’re successful doing so, the batteries they’ve used are suddenly low on power. This poses as a huge threat since they’re out in the country, miles away from their home base and a power source. What’s more, they’ve contacted a local observatory, and even when they tune into the same radio frequency, they don’t hear the same signals. 

 

I know this type of movie isn’t for everyone, but I really found it engaging. Due to the superb cinematography, you feel you’re right there in the car with the three scientists. The dialogue was well written, although you had to listen closely to hear it at times. Adding to the atmosphere was the unique film score. It reminded me of something you’d hear in a classic Hollywood film, ranging from moody and melancholic to soaring, majestic crescendos. In a way, it felt out of place, but then again, a discovery like this deserves this type of treatment. 

****1/2

 

Currently streaming on Kanopy, Hulu, Tubi, and Prime.