Life
{4/5} “‘What is the primal instinct of any lifeform?’ ‘To survive.'”
Life, released in 2017
A satellite with samples from Mars is retrieved by the International Space Station. When they start studying one sample it moves — and then it grows. And then things get out of control. The six astronauts must pit their wits against this alien creature — and above all else make sure it doesn’t get to Earth.
Much of it is intense, but we also get to know the characters a bit. There are a few gruesome moments.
I liked the interaction between the characters, and I liked the ending.
You might find the characters too illogical for astronauts, and you might find the creature scientifically implausible. How much these things matter to you is going to have a big impact on how much you like the movie.
Stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds. Directed by Daniel Espinosa (Safe House). The music by Jon Ekstrand is very effective — at times ethereal, majestic, and relentless.