Having seen the first trailers for this, and having heard what it was about, I was quite excited to finally see The Midnight Sky when it came out. Yet, at the time, I didn't have a chance to see it, and after the barrage of mostly negative reviews, that excitement slowly faded. Tonight, as I was browsing through my watchlist on Netflix, I remembered that I never checked this one out. With my lowered expectations, I started the film and quickly found myself enthralled by its beauty and simplicity. And by the time it finished, I thought to myself, 'that was much better than I could've imagined.' Perhaps it was due to those lowered expectations, or perhaps I was exactly in the right mood for a film like The Midnight Sky, but I truly enjoyed what I saw.
There is no denying, however, that this is a slow film. In fact, even about a year ago, I probably would've confidently claimed how boring it was. Yet, as I've delved deeper into the world of cinema, and broadened my knowledge, I have started to quite enjoy films that take their time. Films like this, do, of course, need to offer something to keep the viewer interested. Be it stunning visuals, a mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, or a theme so strong and impactful that it grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Whatever that something is, it needs to be there. And in the case of The Midnight Sky, well, there was a mix of a little bit of everything. Most prominently, there is the mystery surrounding the fate of the earth. It isn't quite clear as to what happened, and I for one was eager to learn more. Then there was also the mystery of the little girl that appeared out of nowhere. Once again, I found myself trying to figure out who she was. And while only one of these mysteries is truly solved by the end of it, I was content with what I got. Then there is the beauty of this film. Every shot, as simple as it might have been, was beautiful in its own way. The scenery, especially in space, was always something to behold, and even the endless monotone ice back on Earth, somehow seemed prettier than it should've been. And while this film wasn't thematically strong, the themes it did raise, certainly caused me to stop for a moment and reflect on them. A lot of it has to do with dealing with loneliness, but a lot of it also has to do with family. While these themes aren't exactly ground-breaking, they ended up supporting the simple, yet beautiful feeling that the filmed evoked.
In many ways, The Midnight Sky was, perhaps, too simple for its own good. As such, I understand why so many people had difficulty enjoying it. I also understand why so many might claim that it's boring. As mentioned, about a year ago, I most likely would've done the same. And it's because of that, that I found myself so taken aback by how much I ended up appreciating this movie. By no means is it ground-breaking, it probably isn't even anywhere as good as it could've been. But tonight, when I watched it, it was exactly what I wanted it to be. And perhaps, had I watched it at any other time, I too would've found it boring and basic. Yet, I can't help but feel that I would appreciate it for what it is, no matter when I saw it. There was something so calming and wonderful about how this film dealt with isolation and longing. Indeed, I thought the few action scenes that there were, didn't serve much of a purpose. I would've happily watched the characters move through space and time, surviving with what they had, trying to find a way back home. And by the end of it all, there is such a strong sense of hope and purpose, that I couldn't help but feel happy.
By no means is this a perfect film. In fact, it isn't even great. But for whatever reason, I found myself longing for more. The beauty that The Midnight Sky found in silence and simplicity resonated with me more than expected and gave me a wonderfully tranquil feeling. There is no doubt that this film could've been much more grandiose and special. Yet, in its inability to be those things, it found just the right chord. Yes, it's basic, and simple. Yes, it can, at times, be boring. And yes, it didn't live up to the expectations that I originally had. But somehow, it managed to ebb and flow through its story and themes in such a way, that it left me feeling happy and content, far beyond my expectations.
There is no denying, however, that this is a slow film. In fact, even about a year ago, I probably would've confidently claimed how boring it was. Yet, as I've delved deeper into the world of cinema, and broadened my knowledge, I have started to quite enjoy films that take their time. Films like this, do, of course, need to offer something to keep the viewer interested. Be it stunning visuals, a mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, or a theme so strong and impactful that it grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Whatever that something is, it needs to be there. And in the case of The Midnight Sky, well, there was a mix of a little bit of everything. Most prominently, there is the mystery surrounding the fate of the earth. It isn't quite clear as to what happened, and I for one was eager to learn more. Then there was also the mystery of the little girl that appeared out of nowhere. Once again, I found myself trying to figure out who she was. And while only one of these mysteries is truly solved by the end of it, I was content with what I got. Then there is the beauty of this film. Every shot, as simple as it might have been, was beautiful in its own way. The scenery, especially in space, was always something to behold, and even the endless monotone ice back on Earth, somehow seemed prettier than it should've been. And while this film wasn't thematically strong, the themes it did raise, certainly caused me to stop for a moment and reflect on them. A lot of it has to do with dealing with loneliness, but a lot of it also has to do with family. While these themes aren't exactly ground-breaking, they ended up supporting the simple, yet beautiful feeling that the filmed evoked.
In many ways, The Midnight Sky was, perhaps, too simple for its own good. As such, I understand why so many people had difficulty enjoying it. I also understand why so many might claim that it's boring. As mentioned, about a year ago, I most likely would've done the same. And it's because of that, that I found myself so taken aback by how much I ended up appreciating this movie. By no means is it ground-breaking, it probably isn't even anywhere as good as it could've been. But tonight, when I watched it, it was exactly what I wanted it to be. And perhaps, had I watched it at any other time, I too would've found it boring and basic. Yet, I can't help but feel that I would appreciate it for what it is, no matter when I saw it. There was something so calming and wonderful about how this film dealt with isolation and longing. Indeed, I thought the few action scenes that there were, didn't serve much of a purpose. I would've happily watched the characters move through space and time, surviving with what they had, trying to find a way back home. And by the end of it all, there is such a strong sense of hope and purpose, that I couldn't help but feel happy.
By no means is this a perfect film. In fact, it isn't even great. But for whatever reason, I found myself longing for more. The beauty that The Midnight Sky found in silence and simplicity resonated with me more than expected and gave me a wonderfully tranquil feeling. There is no doubt that this film could've been much more grandiose and special. Yet, in its inability to be those things, it found just the right chord. Yes, it's basic, and simple. Yes, it can, at times, be boring. And yes, it didn't live up to the expectations that I originally had. But somehow, it managed to ebb and flow through its story and themes in such a way, that it left me feeling happy and content, far beyond my expectations.