REVIEW: Netflix’s Stowaway Gets Lost in Space

Netflix is set to release its new space drama, Stowaway and it is safe to say that it is not the best release from the streaming platform this year. Stowaway centers on Commander Marina Barnett (Toni Collette) and her team, Zoe Levenson (Anna Kendrick) and David Kim (Daniel Dae Kim), who are in route to Mars for a two year mission. As their journey to Mars progresses, the crew discover a stowaway, named Michael (Shamier Anderson), aboard their shuttle. Not able to head back to Earth due to lack of fuel, the team must adapt to having a fourth body on board. But when the team is faced with a grim obstacle, they must make a tough decision if they intend to make it home safely.

With an A+ cast aboard the shuttle, I was expecting a stellar story, but unfortunately the story was anything but. The plot of the movie just didn’t seem plausible to me. A man ends up stowing away on a space shuttle and no one notices? How did he survive the journey into space or why did no one do a quick check of the shuttle before take off? Nothing about the situation made sense and to make matters worse, all these questions are never answered. The story focuses so much on moving the film along that it forgets to take a moment to shed a tad bit of light on how Michael ended up on the shuttle in the first place.

Another big issue I found with this film, was how quickly most of the characters gave up when trouble headed their way. The first obstacle thrown their way and 2/3 of the team wanted to throw the towel in rather than fighting for the right answer. The film would have been far more enjoyed if it had focused on the sci-fi aspect of the movie rather than the philosophical.

Kendrick plays optimistic Zoe, a doctor who opts to join the mission after jokingly applying. Kendrick’s Zoe may be the only likeable character of the group. Her performance brought a more realistic and sympathetic approach to a character that in the wrong hands could have been quite boring. Kendrick is joined in the movie by Shamier Anderson, Toni Collette and Daniel Dae Kim. All three actors are truly talented, but because their characters are either unlikeable or strictly plot devices, viewers never get the opportunity to see them shine. Collette’s Barnett is especially forgettable, which is a disappointment.

Unfortunately, there is nothing really likeable this movie. The story was extremely predictable and frustrating at points. I would recommend checking out something else this weekend rather than Stowaway.

Grade: D