The Astronaut's Wife

"Now you just keep quiet, and you rest. I'm here with you. I'm always going to be here Jillian. Always."

The Astronaut's Wife was a film I saw for Johnny Depp, and that reason only. If he wasn't included in this cast then I would have no intention of watching this, and I had low expectations despite the fact that it has in my eyes the greatest actor of all time included in the cast. It was a pleasant surprise for me when this film ended and I gathered my thoughts, as I realized that it wasn't actually half bad. Sure, there are some flaws and things I disliked about The Astronaut's Wife, but it has proven to be a pretty decent thriller.

Johnny Depp is Spencer Armacost, an astronaut who loses contact with NASA when on a mission at the beginning of this suspenseful film. For those two minutes it becomes a mystery as to what really happened, but it is stated by NASA that an explosion occurred while repairing a satellite. Meanwhile Spencer's wife, Jillian, and his partner's wife are left in confusion and emotions about what happened, and the viewers know no more than they do about what has happened. Shortly after the astronauts are rescued, and safely returned back to earth. The news is all good for Spencer, but for the other astronaut there comes some bad news not long after the pair's return to Earth.
But that is only the start of the complications. Spencer and Jillian then move to New York to accept Spencer's new job offer, and then it isn't long before Jill becomes pregnant. As time goes on we notice sudden changes in Spencer's personality and realise that he isn't quite the same as he was before the contact was lost for those two minutes. As Jillian notices, we notice more changes as well. Jillian must make decisions that affect her relationship with her husband and eventually find out exactly what happened for that short and eventful time in outer space.

The plot is original to say the least, but there were still times when I started wondering where it was going. It seemed as if it delivered the chills and suspense where it was needed, and the various sneers from Spencer make his overall character quite chilling and unsettling. For most of the film the information and discoveries were made at the right time in the plot, giving it more realism and effectiveness. The ending was absolutely and incredibly unique, giving an exceptional view on the events. If possible, watch the alternate ending. Looking back on it now, I like the alternate a lot better. It gives more of an insight and ends the film on a higher note than the other ending. There was really only one main aspect of the film that I particularly disliked, and that was the constant shots of the babies towards the end. The Astronaut's Wife could have done a lot better without them, but nonetheless; there were many dodgy effects despite when this was made. For most of the film it wasn't too distracting though I must admit, mostly it was held together by the interesting plot and powerful acting.

Johnny Depp certainly made Spencer Armacost one defying and creepy character. Although he wasn't the only reason this film has succeeded my expectations, he certainly was the one who held it together. He gave a brilliant and electrifying performance and maintains my view of his acting talent. Charlize Theron wasn't half bad, and gave a pretty good performance considering she usually doesn't quite satisfy me. She portrayed Jillian's emotions intensely and I can now say that I admire her more as an actress. Joe Morton gave a great performance through my eyes, he was someone I'm not too familiar with.. and yet I found him to be quite exhilarating. Clea DuVall was.. well, Clea DuVall. Nothing beyond average from her, or from the rest of the cast.

The Astronaut's Wife was overall a pretty decent and effective thriller. It combines Sci-Fi with horror/thrills and does it highly effectively. I can't say that this is a perfect film, but I found it to be definitely worth watching, so I therefore recommend it to anyone interested. If you give this film the attention it needs and look beyond what you would expect, you should find yourself thinking that this is an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours.

7/10