[yasr_overall_rating]
When a tragic accident cuts short the first manned mission to explore life on the moons of Jupiter, Michael Forrest must make the 3 year journey home to Earth in pure solitude.
“Astronaut: The Last Push: is a space odyssey driven by dialogue. The film lacks action and it isn’t a film you can start watching 20 minutes in. The plot is simple. A team of astronauts are sent to investigate the possibility of life on one of Jupiter’s moons. Their departure is backed by a lot of enthusiasm, however an accident forces the only survivor to abort the mission.
Michael Forest’s struggle to survive and make it back to Earth is intriguing. Forest is played by Khary Payton. Payton does a good job of portraying a man whos is near his breaking point. The film depicts space travel realistically, and the story follows the daily routine Forest must follow inorder to survive. He must repair his ship and run tests under high levels of stress. The film delves into the effects that solitude has on the human mind.
Complications accumulate as Forest continues his multi year long journey, and the film does a good job of keeping the audience guessing. The majority of the dialogue in the film consists of Forest recording messages to communicate back to earth. The conversations he has the crew back on Earth are one of the few things forest has to distract him.
The film has subtle comedic relief, the majority of which is delivered by Bob Janson, who is played by Brian Baumgartner. Baumgartner’s performance isn’t very memorable, however his character is a necessary one. There is a particularly spectacular scene that shows Venus’ atmosphere as Forest’s ship passes next to it, nonetheless, the shots of space are few and far apart. The film’s sound effects and music add a lot to the story. The music doesn’t stand out on its own although it does a good job of showing the audience that Forest is alone in a harsh and isolated environment.
“Astronaut: The Last Push” is only ninety minutes long but it would have been just as satisfying at one hour. The film ends with a weak twist and a lot of viewers will find it unsatisfying and although it is thought-provoking, it leaves too many unanswered questions.
Available on DVD and on GOOGLE PLAY
