Ad Astra Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

4. The Moon Chase Sequence Is Incredible

No spoilers here, but by far the film's standout set-piece is a first-act chase sequence on the Moon, a technically sublime action beat which manages to be action-packed, horrifying and artful all at once.

Though a lunar car chase might sound conventional enough on paper, Gray ratchets up the tension and takes full advantage of the Moon's unique atmosphere to ensure it's anything but.

After all, this is the director who gave us one of the best car chases of the last 15 years in We Own the Night, so he knows a thing or two about staging a tense chase.

Throw in some absurdly convincing visual effects, palpable stakes and a dash of brutality, and you have one of the year's most distinctive action sequences for sure.