Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

I.S.S. Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 18, 2024

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite has tried to forge an unusual career, dealing with oceanic creature concerns in “Blackfish,” exploring the war experience in “Megan Leavey,” and examining intimate relationships in “Our Friend.” Now she heads to the stars with her latest endeavor, which details rising tensions between Americans and Russians on a space station when the world below erupts into nuclear war. “I.S.S.” is written by Nick Shafir, who cooks up a promising tale of paranoia and close-quarters tension, using the space station setting to play with games of trust and escalating violence, with Cowperthwaite in charge of finding a visual and dramatic rhythm to the feature. “I.S.S.” struggles to match the potential of its premise, but the helmer extracts some decent performances and captures compelling visuals with this mostly talky survival film.

Science officer Kira (Ariana DeBose) and Christian (John Gallagher Jr.) are new arrivals on the International Space Station, working on their nerves while riding on the Soyuz rocket. The duo are welcomed by Gordon (Chris Messina), a fellow American, and introduced to the Russian crew, trading pleasantries with Alexey (Pilou Asbaek), Weronika (Maria Mashkova), and Nicholai (Costa Ronin). Kira is on the station to handle biological experiments involving mice, trying to acclimate to her new surroundings, especially when there’s little room to move around. During the early days of the stay, the two sides find common ground, even beginning to bond as they handle daily activities. This dynamic changes when the crews watch the Earth below them become destroyed by nuclear war, with both Russian and American government contacts instructing their teams to take control of the space station. Unsure what this means, the inhabitants of the I.S.S. move cautiously, while Kira doesn’t know who to rely on as problems arise and lives are threatened.

“I.S.S.” is a small-scale production (shot nearly three years ago), dealing with only a handful of characters in a remote location. It’s almost a theater piece, spending its first act getting to know the residents on the space station, with Kira the main outsider, making her first trip to the I.S.S. Her nerves are rattled, remaining in conversation with Christian on the rocket ride to the destination, learning more about his position as a single dad, already missing his children. Kira has arrived to work with mice, sharing a station with Alexey, who’s the most reserved of the Russians, unsure what to make of the American. “I.S.S.” provides an interesting tour of space station life, as Kira is confronted with the realities of her surroundings, including a unique test of endurance with sleeping arrangements, which take time to get used to.

Cowperthwaite sells the screen fantasy of space life with capable visual effects, following the characters as they float around the station, taking care of business. “I.S.S.” creates a sense of camaraderie and peace (politics are avoided during group gatherings), but this routine is quickly shattered by the sight of bombs exploding on Earth, leaving the crews in a state of shock. It’s a powerful visual and plays like the starter pistol for a nail-biting thriller, but Shafir doesn’t crank up suspense. He mostly remains calm, with communication from American and Russian governments asking the crews to take over the I.S.S. quietly, commencing more of a slow-burn study of rising suspicions. It’s not exactly riveting to watch, but Cowperthwaite clears the way for characterization to develop on both sides of the station, and she gets a chance to play with CGI during a mid- movie mission for Gordon, who’s tasked with fixing an external antenna. This journey outside the station is handed a sizable chunk of screen time to examine, and represents the kind of excitement most viewers will likely want from “I.S.S.”

I.S.S. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation mostly remains in one location during the feature, finding interiors on the I.S.S. retaining depth as characters move from one end of the station to the other. Exterior shots are limited, but the bigness of Earth and the vastness of space is appreciable. Detail is satisfactory, exploring facial surfaces and bodily harm. Costuming is fibrous. Decorative additions to the station are open for analysis. "I.S.S." isn't an overly colorful film, but hues are stable, examining the creams and grays of the station, while computer readouts and lighting bring out more varied hues. Earth shots retain a dreamy blue, while eventual damage registers with a fiery orange. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Brief, mild banding is present.

I.S.S. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix preserves the intimacy of the feature, which only visits a few areas of the station and space during the run time. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, exploring accents clearly and registering levels of panic, with some whispered planning balanced with more active confrontations. Scoring retains crisp instrumentation, offering a range of gentle moments to more active suspense beats. Musical moods push into the surrounds for decent immersion, and low-end percussion is acceptable. Sound effects and atmospherics are compelling, retaining the hum of the station and pressure of space with a decent circular presence.

I.S.S. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this release.

I.S.S. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shafir creates personalities and generates situations where trust is gained and lost, but a full sense of a standoff doesn't develop in "I.S.S." Pressure is periodic, and violence is limited to the third act, where matters become a little more physical for all as true intent is identified in the overall mission of sabotage. Such stunt activity doesn't help to escalate the story, with the picture finding its groove with a blend of confrontations and fears, working to understand the delicate nature of communication and responsibility involved in this situation of survival. The movie isn't a slam-bang thriller, and it doesn't carry a profound appreciation of human response, but when it gets to the essentials of paranoia, "I.S.S." almost lives up to its potential.