Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
In the near future, breathable air is nonexistent. Virtually all of humanity has disappeared, and those chosen to reestablish society reside in a controlled state of suspended animation. Two engineers tasked with guarding the last hope for mankind struggle to preserve their own sanity and lives while administering to the vital task at hand.
Air (2015) is a slow-burn sci-fi thriller with a promising premise but underwhelming execution. The plot borrows heavily from familiar post-apocalyptic survival tropes without adding much fresh perspective, feeling derivative despite its contained setting. Norman Reedus and Djimon Hounsou deliver competent performances that elevate the material somewhat, keeping the two-hander dynamic watchable. Cinematography is functional and occasionally atmospheric in its claustrophobic bunker setting but rarely rises above serviceable. The concept of air scarcity and suspended animation caretakers isn't particularly novel, echoing many similar low-budget sci-fi entries. The ending disappoints, failing to deliver a satisfying payoff to the tension built throughout, leaving viewers with an unsatisfying resolution to the moral dilemmas raised.