Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
The six-member crew of the International Space Station is tasked with studying a sample from Mars that may be the first proof of extra-terrestrial life, which proves more intelligent than ever expected.
Life is a competent but derivative sci-fi horror that cribs heavily from Alien and Gravity without adding much new to the genre. The Mars organism premise is intriguing but the plot follows a predictable escalating-threat formula with crew members being picked off in succession. The ensemble cast (Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds) performs solidly but is underserved by thin characterization. The cinematography aboard the ISS is technically proficient with some effective zero-gravity staging, though it rarely distinguishes itself visually. The ending attempts a clever twist inversion that provides a genuine jolt, elevating it above the routine, but the overall film remains firmly in well-trodden territory.