Mission to explore Jupiter’s moons encounters catastrophe, mystery
Digital effects may be corroding the heart and imagination of big budget science-fiction, but they also allow independent filmmakers to work on a scale previously out of their price range. Case-in-point: Europa Report, a sci-fi indie in which director Sebastian Cordero creates an effective outer space atmosphere on a shoestring budget. Cordero eschews linear storytelling to conjure an ominous mood – a mysterious accident occurs at the very beginning of the film, and we spend the rest of the runtime trying to piece it together, while also following the crew as they undertake further mishaps and inexplicable occurrences. Cordero occasionally bites off more than he can chew – the ending disappoints, for one – but his film is also frequently tense and creepy, with strong performances. Europa Report isn’t earth shattering, but it’s exciting enough to grab your attention and clever enough to hold it.
arthousegrindhouse.wordpress.com 