I watched the Russian film “Challenge”, filmed in space. What do you think, Elon Musk?

Today, one of the latest films, the space drama Challenge, was released in Russian distribution.

This is the first film ever filmed in space. He was taken off guard by filmmakers.

We have already gone to the premiere and are in a hurry to share our impressions. Did you really manage to make a memorable movie? Did you manage to spoil the idea? Does real space look as impressive as blockbusters drawn in Hollywood? We understand.

What is the movie about

The plot of the film itself is quite simple. In space work, a Russian astronaut is seriously injured due to an unforeseen situation. To save him, a medical operation is required, which can only be performed on the ISS.

In a Roscosmos study, a decision is made to send a surgeon into orbit who can hold the tank in zero gravity. The viewer will see difficult selections, training and a significant flight into space itself.

Sounds interesting, but what about the dramaturgy, screenplay, camera work and acting?

The film is realistic, and it’s not just about real space

Despite the fact that the film can be attributed to the genre of sci-fi drama, film the first forty minutes as an ordinary Russian series with harsh and honest realities.

Opening scene with Julia. And all this is lost in just a couple of minutes! Nothing superfluous and surrounding.

The screenwriter seems to know a lot about how to set the right accents and how to move the plot with the help of dialogue and holding the scene.

It seems that the screenwriter is not shy outside of modern Russian society, where the problem is solved thanks to connections. For example, the integrity of the district prosecutor is decided by calling the Prosecutor General. This is not a fairy tale. This is a Russian real rocket, to which a lot of social problems go as a trailer.

It seems that the love line here is not the main one, but an important component of the components of the main characters. It’s interesting to watch. The subtle chemistry between the characters is compelling.

But, unfortunately, all this does not last long. And, as soon as the plot is on the rails of “preparation”, something breaks.

Some scenes begin to seem drawn out and superfluous, the action and words of the phenomena become forced, and chaos ensues in the editing room.

Filmed well, but editing…

Klim Shipenko, who shot “Soyuz-7”, “Kholop” and “Text”, here acted as both a director and a cameraman

A film can be published on two series, style and presentation, which are very different from each other.

The first series is not enough stars from the sky. No zest and interesting visual solutions, but high quality and convincing. They spoil only specialists, at some point they were allowed to sit at the editing table. It is not clear why the decision was made glue each other 3-second scenes of the stage and preparation. From such a detachment just starts to feel dizzy.

imagine: the camera gently flies around the sensations, three seconds pass, the camera flies again, but in a different device and is detected with face detection, three more seconds, and a new scene. And this is repeated more than once. You literally suffer from training.

It’s easy not to forget to have time to focus on interesting details. You just start to rock! Normally it worked, what started something?

But these are still flowers. The second part of the picture is the present ad for claustrophobes and people who rocked even in calm. The shooting style, when the camera flies randomly between the flying main characters, needs to get used to. At some point, you start dreaming that the operator just froze.

Stay, the cameraman (who is also the director) himself wrote about how to freeze, stop, stand, lie down without any existing weightlessness. But there is no such possibility. Neither he nor his eyes.

But at the same time, the most unexpected conclusion from everything that has disappeared is cool shooting! You understand that this is all real; that these are living people on a real space station. This real presence. They really balance these narrow spaces of the ISS among all the boxes, devices, computers and other space utensils and trash.

On purpose or not, the operator managed to carry out the entirety of space exploration. All that strong tension that a person has in the present conditions.

Wanted realism – here it is! Are you swayed? This is fine! Be patient! All for the sake of art.

The story is touching, but with forbidden tricks

The drama of the main character is not the key and driving force of the plot. Flashbacks, revealing the essence of the tragedy, reveal the heroine again and again. And only space finally delivered her from them. Sounds pathetic? Maybe. Touching? Undoubtedly.

But the fact that the director did not hesitate for more drama, including “Echo of Love” by Anna German, is surprising. I would even say shocking.

The music that was used in the film “Fate” about the Great Patriotic War is certainly great. But it goes much deeper than the story told in this film. Sucker Punch! It didn’t have to be like that.

Otherwise, the usual music fits well with the visual component. Where more epic is needed – disturbing orchestral notes, where you need to relax the spectacle, the authors include Leontiev’s Hang Glider. Everyone has their time.

At some point, the director generally decides that the main material has been filmed and can just be shoot the talented and charming Yulia Peresild to a variety of music. The director does not even hesitate to undress the actress. Space, and more!

In the “laboratory” studio conditions, against the background of a green screen, all this could be shot even more vividly. But when you know that everything was filmed on location, notes light up in your soul People.

True, in the end, all this seriously stretches the timing, and at some point you start looking at the clock. Still, almost 3 hours is a lot even for space.

Especially in those cases when you spend in this weightlessness, and before that every day you spend a portion of sexism, often pull jokes, open advertising brands and constantly smoking Mashkov! Not everyone can stand such a cocktail.

But perhaps the biggest downside is unconvincing game of live astronauts. Everything here looks sad, at the level of a school matinee. All three of the drawing in the frame is simply unconvincing. Still, they are not ready for this for half their lives.

Returning to the story, most likely in the middle of the session the question will arise why one of the characters absorbs in this way and not otherwise. What drives them? Suddenly shows up earlier absolutely not beating with an exemplary appearance? The most interesting thing is that everyone will get their places in the final, pleasant meeting. Beautiful!

What in the end? Watch or not

Definitely a movie worth watching at the cinema. One might think that a picture that advertises even Government Services has not received, and now producers have a wide range of opportunities for viewing in cinemas by an intrusive advertising campaign.

But the reason is completely different. This is a really good sentimental movie. The first film about real space is convincing and interesting. There will be no epic explosions, bright Hollywood pathos and losses, but many flights in real ISS.