Film Review #119

Cosmos (2019)
Directors: Elliot Weaver & Zander Weaver Starring: Tom England, Joshua Ford, Arjun Singh Panam, Ben Vardy

Certificate: PG Running Time: 128 Minutes

Tagline: "Only they will hear. Only they will believe."

Every now and then, when I'm struggling to find something I feel like watching, I'll scan through the offerings on the streaming services to which I currently subscribe, as many others also do I'm sure. A frequently perused genre is sci-fi which has probably been my favourite genre since I first discovered Star Trek as a child. Most efforts that show up in searches that I haven't already seen are ones with such catastrophically bad ratings that I don't even chance them, but one hitherto unknown film recently caught my eye during such a search that sounded very intriguing. It may be worth pointing out at this point that Contact, the 1997 sci-fi film starring Jodie Foster, has long been among my very favourites. For those who don't know, Ms. Foster plays a radio astronomer who intercepts a signal from another world - a subject that has captivated me for many years - and it was this premise that also formed the basis for Cosmos, a fairly recent British indie film made with literally no budget at all.

That not an exaggeration either. No one was paid anything, most of the equipment was borrowed, etc. Not only that but the actors are all unknowns and the brothers at the helm are first-time writers and directors; none of them or the film itself even has a Wikipedia entry! So, unlike Contact, that means no filming at the (sadly now collapsed) Arecibo Observatory or the VLA in New Mexico! No, the action here featured three guys, Harry (Ford), Mike (England), and Roy (Panam), in a Volvo. They are real scientists and/or engineers, but they just have their own portable equipment crammed in the back of their old Volvo which is driven out into the sticks where they just... patiently watch and listen. And that, without giving away any plot spoilers, is basically that - literally 95% of the film features just these three actors in, or in close proximity around, their car during the course of one night.

Regardless of what may or may not happen during this time, it would still probably sound like a ridiculous borefest of a film if you explained it to someone, but somehow it really isn't. Yes, there's an interesting signal involved - the film's tagline (and trailer) show that, even if I hadn't mentioned Contact - and there are dramas such as personal issues and hardware failures, but the combination of great acting, an excellent script and pacing, good use of music, nice camera work, and superb tension help make Cosmos the best sci-fi film I've seen for ages. Some may find it a little boring anyway I guess, but for me this story of science, discovery, and friendship was thoroughly absorbing for its entire runtime, especially its exciting final act and mesmerising ending, and that is a testament to the talent, creativity and imagination of all those involved. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch it again!

RKS Score: 9/10

Check out the trailer here, or don't if you don't want any of it spoiled! Also, click here to read a fascinating article by co-writer/director, Zander Weaver, on the challenges of making and distributing such a film.