• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Ariana DeBose stars in a scene from the movie “I.S.S.” The OSV News classification is A-III - adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (OSV News photo/Bleecker Street)

Movie Review: ‘I.S.S.’

January 26, 2024
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

NEW YORK (OSV News) – The psychological thriller “I.S.S.” (Bleecker Street) highlights positive values and teaches a civilizing lesson. But, as penned by screenwriter Nick Shafir, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s drama of shifting allegiance and unpredictable behavior never gains traction and ultimately registers as a slack, by-the-numbers exercise.

In large part, that’s due to the poorly sketched character of its protagonist, astronaut Kira Foster (Ariana DeBose). Aside from a brief exchange in the dialogue revealing that Kira is attracted to women rather than men – de rigueur these days – she remains more the representative of a particular outlook on life than a fully rounded person. So, too, do those around her.

The action begins as Kira arrives on the International Space Station. The crew she joins there is made up of two other Americans, Gordon Barrett (Chris Messina) and Christian Campbell (John Gallagher Jr.), and a trio of Russians: Weronika Vetrov (Masha Mashkova) and brothers Nicholai (Costa Ronin) and Alexey (Pilou Asbaek) Pulov.

Before she can settle into the routine of life on board, though, Kira finds herself in a potentially deadly conflict. A nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia has broken out on Earth and she, Gordon and Chirstian soon receive secret orders to wrest control of the I.S.S. “by any means necessary.”

Have the cosmonauts been given similar instructions? If so, what methods might they resort to in order to fulfill them? Are they enemies or still scientific comrades?

The quandary is a potentially interesting one with twists and turns resulting from uncertain loyalties and restricted communications. (A large chess board on one of the walls of the vessel serves as the visual symbol of the life-or-death contest into which Kira and the others have been plunged.)

But Kira remains mostly a cipher. So viewers are unlikely to feel entirely caught up in her dilemma or fully invested in her fate.

There is a respectable message about trust and human solidarity underlying the proceedings. And the people on board who behave in the most humane manner are eventually rewarded for it. Yet the story comes and goes without making much of an impact or impression. Call it a lack of gravitational pull.

The film contains brief but nasty physical violence with some gore, references to lesbianism, about a half-dozen instances each of mild swearing and rough language, a few crude terms and occasional crass talk. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Read More Movie & Television Reviews

superman

Movie Review: Superman

sorry baby

Movie Review: Sorry, Baby

Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: M3GAN 2.0

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Fox Nation announces second season for ‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’

Copyright © 2024 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Hunt Valley parishioner recalls her former student – a future pope

  • superman Movie Review: Superman

  • Deacon Gary Elliott Dumer Jr., active in men’s ministry, dies

  • Loyola University Maryland graduate ordained Jesuit priest

  • Pope Leo visits Italian Carabinieri station, Poor Clares during summer break

| CURRENT EDITION |

CR digital edition

| Vatican News |

Pope Leo visits Italian Carabinieri station, Poor Clares during summer break

Caring for others, serving life is the ‘supreme law,’ pope says

Jesus did not ignore those in need, and neither should Christians, pope says

Cardinal Czerny asks church to remember seafarers on Sea Sunday

Hunt Valley parishioner recalls her former student – a future pope

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

superman

Movie Review: Superman

sorry baby

Movie Review: Sorry, Baby

Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: M3GAN 2.0

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

| En español |

‘No tengan miedo de hacer lo que El Señor quiere para nosotros’

Dios quiere ayudar a las personas a descubrir su valor y dignidad, dice el Papa

El ‘Padre Migrante’ nos relata su vida sirviendo a comunidades inmigrantes

El ‘Obispo Bruce’ forjó fuertes lazos con Baltimore en tiempos difíciles y tenía corazón de pastor

El Papa León comienza su pontificado pidiendo una ‘Iglesia unida’ en un mundo herido

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Poll: Record-high percentage of U.S. adults say immigration good for country
  • Scopes Monkey Trial ignited century-long debate on evolution and belief 
  • Patriarchs support Christian communities attacked by Israeli settlers in solidarity visit
  • Pope Leo visits Italian Carabinieri station, Poor Clares during summer break
  • 1 officer dead, 3 seminarians kidnapped after attack on Nigerian seminary
  • Trump administration to appeal after judge blocks ICE detentions based on race
  • Remember common decency in immigration enforcement
  • Sponsors – for life
  • Listen for God this summer

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en