Space Thriller "Slingshot" Falls Short Despite Ambitious Premise

"Slingshot," a recent addition to the "man in a can" genre, attempts to join the ranks of acclaimed space-based thrillers but falls short of its lofty ambitions. This subgenre, characterized by protagonists isolated in confined spaces, has produced notable works such as "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Gravity," and "Apollo 13." However, "Slingshot" struggles to achieve the same level of quality as its predecessors.

The film's premise centers on a futuristic mission to extract methane from one of Saturn's moons to combat climate change on Earth. This concept, while intriguing, relies heavily on what the reviewer terms "movie science." The crew consists of three astronauts: John (played by Casey Affleck), Nash (portrayed by Tomer Capone), and Captain Franks (embodied by Laurence Fishburne).

The narrative unfolds during the crew's waking periods between three-month hibernation cycles, a concept that draws from real research into torpor for long-duration space missions. As the journey progresses, psychological tensions mount, exacerbated by the isolation and the challenges of their mission. The plot thickens when the spacecraft sustains damage from space debris, a growing concern in real-world space exploration.

The film's central conflict revolves around Nash's increasing paranoia and desire to abort the mission, Captain Franks' unyielding command, and John's struggle to discern reality from hallucination. This psychological tug-of-war culminates in the crew's attempt to execute a "slingshot" maneuver around Jupiter, utilizing the planet's immense gravitational field to propel them towards Saturn and its largest moon, Titan.

"The challenge facing Swedish filmmaker Mikael Håfström ('Evil,' '1408') is to maintain this taut stalemate for 100-odd minutes while keeping an audience dramatically engaged."

Unfortunately, the film's execution fails to capitalize on its promising setup. The reviewer criticizes Casey Affleck's performance as potentially miscast, noting that the actor's trademark guardedness, which served him well in his Oscar-winning role in "Manchester by the Sea," hinders the audience's connection with his character in this context.

The narrative structure of "Slingshot" follows a predictable trajectory, with tension escalating linearly until a series of rapid-fire twists in the final scenes. However, these revelations come too late to salvage the audience's engagement, largely due to the protagonist's emotional remoteness throughout the film.

Ironically, the flashbacks depicting John's relationship with Zoe (played by Emily Beecham), the spacecraft designer, are praised for their vitality and wit, standing in stark contrast to the main storyline's lack of energy.

In conclusion, while "Slingshot" ambitiously tackles themes of isolation, psychological strain, and the challenges of space exploration, it ultimately fails to launch. The film serves as a reminder of the difficulties in crafting compelling narratives within the constraints of the "man in a can" genre, particularly when the human element fails to resonate with the audience.