Life (2017)

“Life” stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ariyon Bakare, and Olga Dihovichnaya.  Released on March 24, 2017, the film has a space crew fighting for survival when their latest discovery suddenly becomes extremely hostile.

The film is directed by Daniel Espinosa, who also directed Easy Money, Safe House, and Child 44.  We all have these moments in film where our latest discovery can turn into a catastrophe.  This is one of them.  We got three very recognizable actors trapped in a space station with an organism that means them harm.  What more could you ask for?  Well, other than the organism, of course.  At first, I thought it was going to be just a regular PG-13 rated space horror film based on the trailers I watched, but then I realized that it was releasing with an R rating.  So, does it make it any better?  More importantly, does Espinosa have what it takes to deliver the thrills in space?  Honestly, yeah, he does.

Pros:
The performances were pretty good.

Espinosa’s direction was well-handled.

Its atmosphere and tension helped drove the film forward.

The ending was quite shocking.

Cons:
The first act dragged a little bit.

The story followed some of the basic horror tropes.

Final thoughts: “Life” is a well-crafted space horror film that relies on the cast, its use of tension, and its creepy tone rather than just the scares.  The ending also helped in keeping things a little bit more…interesting.  You’ll know what I mean when you see it for yourself.  If you are in a mood for something thrilling, then it’s worth checking out.

B