Passengers | The Movie - Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence

 

Okay folks, I'll make this short and not so sweet. What's the best part about Passengers? For me, since I've been around the block a few times and for the most part I detest formulaic screenplays (you know the ones I mean; most of them. Movies with a beginning, a middle, and a predictable ending.) Yes, Andy Garcia's two-seconds cameo was a nice surprise but come on, stop that Hollywood. That's a cheap trick, if ever.

So just about the best part for me was the Avalon Spaceship itself. Wow, if you're a sci-fi enthusiast you gotta love that ship. This is where the movie earned its stripes in my opinion, including Pratt's interaction with the vessel. And just as a head's up to Hollywood producers, (not that they need it from me) there's a whole mini-series waiting to happen based on the Avalon. Go for it. I'll wait for my royalties in the mail.

Okay, enough of that. Jennifer Lawrence, you're gorgeous but annoying to watch; listen to. Did she have to almost kill him? Please. I mean a bit over the top performance, despite the script. Scary. Almost turned into a horror flick. Pratt, a bit more nuanced in his approach. He's cool, okay. 

Look, everything hangs on the concept, which is quite good except that a ship as advanced as the Avalon should have detected and avoided colliding with an asteroid belt or whatever. But of course, if you use that logic then you have no story. 

What's one to do? Nothing. Pray for better movies.

Two out of five stars.

P.S. No disrespect to Laurence Fishburne (he's always good) and Michael Sheen. I've always loved Fishburne since Apocalypse Now and Sheen does shine in Frost/Nixon. In this film, he's the subject of comic relief but nicely done as an Android; an interesting hook.