Passengers isn't going to be well received by most people. The issue is that one is easily mislead by the theme of the movie which appears to be that of a thriller or mystery. The problem is that it is neither and that alone will disappoint most who watch it. However, for those who do stay for the entire story, they will be treated to a rather touching story about fate.
Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) is determined therapist who takes her studies and her practice seriously. Unmarried, single, and living for nothing else but her education, she is closed off from most of those around her and that includes a distant sister. Perry (Andre Braugher), a close friend, suggests that she work with a group of survivors from a crashed airline in order to gain more experience and to escape her "comfort zone".
Eric (Patrick Wilson) is one of the survivors and the one who Claire finds herself most drawn to due to his rather euphoric feelings about his survival. Claire believes that he is simply trying to live off a high but she ends up finding him seductive in his new view on life. Breaking the doctor patient ethical line, Claire becomes involved with him only to regret what she feels is a weakness on her part.
Passengers is a story not so much about the survivors but the reason why they "survived" at all. However, it doesn't take one long to figure that none of the survived and that they are waiting to cross over to the afterlife. Not only does this include Eric, an airline employee named Arkin (David Morse), but also Perry and yes Claire herself who was sitting next to Eric on the flight. They were all waiting for the moment when they would be able to accept their death and move to the afterlife.
The main weakness in Passengers is that the attempt to build a sense of mystery fails and seems distracting. It is obvious that Claire and Eric's relationship is the center of the story, but trying to use Arkin as a possible stalker for Claire and the other survivors doesn't work. Passengers seems shallow at times even though the conclusion is well thought out despite its weakness.
The question that Eric poses to Claire in so many ways is one that is asked to all of us. What do we value most? Why do we live the way we do? A movie that makes you think about how one would accept their own death, Passengers is movie worth watching even if it is fails to live up to an idea of suspense.
7/10
Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) is determined therapist who takes her studies and her practice seriously. Unmarried, single, and living for nothing else but her education, she is closed off from most of those around her and that includes a distant sister. Perry (Andre Braugher), a close friend, suggests that she work with a group of survivors from a crashed airline in order to gain more experience and to escape her "comfort zone".
Eric (Patrick Wilson) is one of the survivors and the one who Claire finds herself most drawn to due to his rather euphoric feelings about his survival. Claire believes that he is simply trying to live off a high but she ends up finding him seductive in his new view on life. Breaking the doctor patient ethical line, Claire becomes involved with him only to regret what she feels is a weakness on her part.
Passengers is a story not so much about the survivors but the reason why they "survived" at all. However, it doesn't take one long to figure that none of the survived and that they are waiting to cross over to the afterlife. Not only does this include Eric, an airline employee named Arkin (David Morse), but also Perry and yes Claire herself who was sitting next to Eric on the flight. They were all waiting for the moment when they would be able to accept their death and move to the afterlife.
The main weakness in Passengers is that the attempt to build a sense of mystery fails and seems distracting. It is obvious that Claire and Eric's relationship is the center of the story, but trying to use Arkin as a possible stalker for Claire and the other survivors doesn't work. Passengers seems shallow at times even though the conclusion is well thought out despite its weakness.
The question that Eric poses to Claire in so many ways is one that is asked to all of us. What do we value most? Why do we live the way we do? A movie that makes you think about how one would accept their own death, Passengers is movie worth watching even if it is fails to live up to an idea of suspense.
7/10