It’s the start of a whole new year (well sort of, we are now in February!) Slowly but surely we have been getting back into the rhythm of the business that is MEAN Productions. I thought I would start off this year’s film reviews with something easily accessible and light. Why not a Netflix Original!! Netflix has been so consistent with their great content (not just films but TV series) and I am very rarely disappointed. Unfortunately this is one of those rare occasions.
IO is an adventure drama (apparently) following the life of a young scientist, Sam (Margaret Qualley), trying to find a way to live on Earth after it has turned into a toxic planet. All other humans have fled to a space-station above Jupiter’s Moon IO; the last shuttle from Earth to this colony will be leaving in 4 days. She has a choice to make: does she give up on her work to save Earth; or will she join her new friend and another survivor Micah (Anthony Mackie) on his journey to the shuttle to leave Earth forever?
The premise is promising and the trailer makes it looks exciting but it is anything but. The pace of the film is so slow and even though I hoped it would quicken as the action builds it never did. It was a flatline film without dimensions. It stayed on the same level from beginning to end which is not what you want or need as a viewer. I crave layers and depth to the characters and story but this was as flat as a pancake. The acting was emotionless but I guess it doesn’t help when your character is wearing a full face mask as apart of the costume for half of the film. The only choice the actors had was to act with their eyes but I wasn’t moved.
With most previous Netflix films, there is a big twist or a big moment. I was waiting and waiting and waiting but nothing ever came to be this. There was no revelation, no turning point of the film. I’m unsure as to what the director (Jonathan Helpert) was going for here; whether he was trying to create an alternative, boujee vibe that’s different from the common americanisation in most Hollywood produced films. Whatever it was it was completely lost in translation. I found this film to be the biggest waste of my time. The worse thing for me is that I struggled to stay awake. I wasn’t invested. I lost interest and had to force myself to concentrate. I endured but that isn’t what a filmmaker wants to hear about his film. “His audience endorsed till the end”. No, not a good outcome.
I hate to write bad reviews, especially when it’s the first review of the year. I always try to see the good in a film even when it’s the most insignificant part of it. Unfortunately the only good in this film is that the story is promising. Its execution was poor and therefore it was a major flop for me. I’m giving it a 2/10 out of respect to Netflix and the great content I know it can make.
Mean Productions 