Review by John Delia
Choosing outer space for his next winning film, Writer and Director Neil Burger offers a galactic adventure with the movie Voyagers. The sci-fi adventure thriller transports his audience into the future using climate change as the base for finding a way to exit the Earth. The concept is very entertaining and with his young cast that really keeps his script lively and dramatic, this is one movie that teens and twenty something’s will glom on for its run in theaters.
“As the Earth grows hotter, and drought and disease ravage the population, scientists look for a new planet – one that can support human life. In 2063 they find itâ€â€¦ Filmmaker
The Earth has been experiencing climate change that is starting to devastate the whole world and for years astronomers have been searching for a planet somewhere in space where humans can live in a safe atmosphere. With the finding of the perfect planet in 2063 they put a plan together to make an attempt to populate it. From embryos collected from a cross-section of the world’s population, they birth thirty babies.
Held in a secret facility the children grow into their teens learning the specifics of space travel, each becoming part of a crew that will take the spacecraft to their final destination. But, it is with a price as the trip will be a voyage of 86 years and none of the original crew will survive the aging. Determined to make it happen they will have to procreate with members of the crew while in space in order to provide the adults necessary to populate the new planet.
Director and screenwriter Neil Burger (Divergent, The Illusionist) does a very good job of setting up his audience for an adventure that’s different from other trips into the galaxy. Working with a fine cast of young actors he singles out the leaders and the followers early on as they travel into space. He adds Richard (Colin Farrell), one of the specialists, who has been a part of the experiment to develop the children to take part of the project. Traveling with the pre-teens until his eminent death, he will give them someone with former knowledge about Earth and leadership guidance. Burger then sets the ship on a voyage that has some very good twists and turns.
I like the script as it provides an instant adventure, but it has a similar storyline that makes the film challenging. What immediately comes to mind is 2001 a Space Odyssey with a good measure of Lord of the Flies. Meshed together they form a comparable plotline. But, since Voyagers does appeal more to a modern sci-fi audience, it shouldn’t put a damper on this exciting tale of deceit, power and survival.
Voyagers has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for violence, some strong sexuality, bloody images, a sexual assault and brief strong language. It may be a bit much for immature teens, but considering the 21st century social norms, an R rating may have limited the audience for which the movie was made. My rating 4 out of 5 Stars for the target audience.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Colin Farrell, Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, Chante Adams, Fionn Whitehead, Madison Hue
Directed and written by: Neil Burger
Genre: sci-fi, adventure, thriller
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, some strong sexuality, bloody images, a sexual assault and brief strong language
Running Time: 1 hr. 48 min.
Opening Date: April 9, 2021
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Released in: Theaters