Ad Astra Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

2. It's Brilliantly Paced

The film being something of a compromise between the mainstream and the art-house is perfectly reflected by its pacing, which is neither breakneck nor meditative.

In that sense, Ad Astra should keep most audiences engaged yet not exhausted: it's well-calibrated for those who want a breather between set-pieces, yet perhaps found Blade Runner 2049 too slow.

Clocking in at "just" 123 minutes, the film clips along agreeably, with Gray knowing when to hold a beat and when to move along.

Considering how most movies of this sort tend to bring a wealth of bloat to the table in the quest for an epic ride, it's relieving to see Gray showing a little more restraint in this regard.

Given that the film was whittled down in editing for almost two years, the concise approach makes sense.