Ad Astra Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

1. It Gets Pretty Silly At Times

Despite James Gray's reputation for being an "arty" filmmaker and this film's relatively serious and somber tone, it does indulge in its fair share of ridiculousness throughout.

Much of the plot is propelled forward by coincidence or straight-up implausibility, and one major sequence of peril is so perfunctory in its mayhem that it turns out more comical than horrifying as it's clearly supposed to be.

By the third act, Gray fully swings for more typical blockbuster thrills, with a number of fist-pumping, action-adventure-styled moments that clash quite harshly with the more subdued tone of the rest of the film.

It's hard not to see these moments as an attempt to ensure the movie doesn't entirely alienate the mainstream, but in doing so Gray may turn away those game for a headier experience.

These gripes aside, though, there's a lot to like about Ad Astra, and here's everything it gets right...