Film Review: 'I.S.S.'; War on Earth Disrupts Work at the Space Station

Despite the war in Ukraine and the cold relations between the United States and Russia, it seems that Cold War films have returned to the global box office. In the film 'I.S.S.', directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, concerns over geopolitical relations between Russia and the U.S. play a key role. The story of this film, which will be released on Friday, January 18, takes place at the International Space Station, a symbol of U.S.-Russia cooperation after the Cold War. However, with bombs exploding on Earth, the friendly relationship between American and Russian astronauts at the station is significantly jeopardized. Kira Foster, a biologist played by Ariana DeBose, initially thinks that the bright spots seen across North America are the result of volcanic eruptions. Interestingly, exactly 60 years after Stanley Kubrick's acclaimed film 'Dr. Strangelove', we once again have the opportunity to sit in the dark and tremble at the thought of a possible war between the U.S. and Russia. History may not repeat itself, but film genres do. One reason for the failure of 'I.S.S.' is that it imitates Cold War films rather than drawing from contemporary reality. The screenplay, written by Nick Schaffer, was blacklisted in 2020, several years before the start of the war in Ukraine. The setting of this station, which is the center of the film's events, often borrows from 20th-century Cold War films. Alongside the three Americans and three Russians present at the station, there are also some pigeons and falcons. Kira, who is new to the space station, is told that everything is shared and discussing politics is forbidden: 'We don’t talk about what’s happening down there; they say from space, borders on Earth are not visible.' Commander Gordon Bart, played by Chris Messina, who leads the American team, immediately receives an urgent message from Houston after the war begins: 'Stop the experiments!' However, this message also conveys a new sinister mission: 'Take control of the space station!' A new doubt grips the Russian team. The loyalty of Veronika, played by Masha Mashkova, and her teammates Alexei (Yelo Asbak) and Nikola (Kosta Ronin) is tested, especially in relation to Gordon and Veronika, who seem to have a relationship beyond mere collaboration. Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s weakness in creating suspenseful situations and her neglect of the screenplay's clumsy twists have turned the film into a low-budget version of Alfonso Cuarón's 'Gravity'. Nevertheless, 'I.S.S.' is a B-grade film with a high-concept theme that could mark the beginning of a new cycle of films featuring Russian villains. 'I.S.S.', produced by Bleecker Street, is rated 'R' due to some violent scenes and inappropriate language. The film has a runtime of 95 minutes, and Jake Coyle, a film critic for the Associated Press, has given it two out of four stars.