The Midnight Sky

  George Clooney directs and stars in this futuristic adventure. 

     The film is set 28 years in the future and an unnamed cataclysmic event has made Earth almost completely uninhabitable.

 

     Mr. Clooney is the last remaining researcher at an Artic station trying to warn a spaceship returning to earth that it's not safe. The film splits its time between Mr. Clooney's efforts and the crew of the spaceship dealing with their own problems on their return home from exploring a new inhabitable planet. The flight crew are played by Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Kyle Chandler, Damien Bichir and Tiffany Boone. Also co-starring in a pivotal role is newcomer Caoilinn Springall. 

     After a slow start, the film begins to build momentum and there are many suspenseful moments particularly during a meteor shower and a trek through the snow to find a relay station that can send a signal to the spacecraft. Mr. Clooney's direction is well balanced and the script is thoughtful and surprising. The special effects and CGI work are first rate in both environments and I only wish I could have seen this in a theater to really appreciate the look and feel of the film.

       The film is out now streaming on Netflix and possibly playing in a movie theater somewhere.