Passengers

Traveling can be fun. But for some, it can be downright stressful. However, neither is really the case for Jim Prescott (Chris Pratt) as he embarks on a journey to a new home. But this new home isn’t a new state or a new country. It’s a new planet. Homestead II is the name, and 5,000 passengers in total plan to create a fresh start as they travel millions of miles away from Earth on the Starship Avalon. Since the journey will be about 120 years, each passenger is placed into a “hibernation” state as they travel.

Jim doesn’t plan to have much fun on this trip, nor does he feel too stressed out about the long journey, that is, until he wakes up… 90 years too early. After an asteroid strike, Jim’s hibernation pod malfunctions, causing him, and only him, to wake up. Fortunately, no other passengers are affected. Jim isn’t too thankful, though, and begins to live a lonely life on the spacecraft.

Jim desperately tries to find ways to go back into hibernation and communicate with Earth, but to no avail. He makes a new “friend” along the way, though, as he meets Arthur (Michael Sheen), a robot bartender on the ship. However, this “friend” is not a satisfying human connection for Jim, and he becomes extremely lonely.

He later discovers a beautiful woman still in hibernation, by the name of Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence). Jim immediately falls in love and struggles with whether he should break into her hibernation pod and wake her up or not. Jim realizes that it would be wrong and selfish to wake her up, but he has also struggled with desperate loneliness, depression, and lack of human connection for over a year.

After much debate, Jim gives in and decides to wake Aurora. As the two begin to develop a strong relationship, though, they both realize that they’re in much more danger than they originally thought. Their mission was originally to make it to a new home. Now it’s survival.

Following 2014’s critically acclaimed “The Imitation Game,” director Morten Tyldum decided to take his next film into space. “Passengers” isn’t your typical science-fiction or romance film, though. It is a film that focuses more on human connection and what it means to develop a human relationship. Still, “Passengers” is filled with plenty of action and romance from both sides of the spectrum.

Although there is a lot going for the film, the storyline is a bit clichéd and predictable, for the exception of a few solid plot twists. The visuals are gorgeous, and although this isn’t Tyldum’s strongest directorial effort, his direction still saves the film from being a complete failure. The dialog is rather weak and although the story itself isn’t very engaging, it’s still entertaining. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence serve as likable characters, but do not give their strongest performances in this two hour film. “Passengers,” while fairly entertaining, certainly has its faults in terms of storytelling and could have been something “great” rather than “good,” if only the plot was fleshed out more.

Most Romance films today can never seem to stay away from sexual content. “Passengers” serves as the perfect example, as we see our two leads get sensual on screen, as they begin to disrobe and make love in a few scenes. Though not explicit, both Jim and Aurora passionately kiss and begin to disrobe as they prepare to have sex on both a table and a bed. One scene involves brief partial breast nudity, as Aurora begins to undress, and it appears that the couple share a bed. Jim and Aurora lay in bed covered in sheets. We also witness one more (mostly dark) scene where the couple is in bed, making love once again. We see some shadowy movements and more passionate kissing.

Before Jim and Aurora develop their romantic relationship, we see Aurora begin to undress, and she tells Jim to turn around, as she changes into a spacesuit. We only see her from the shoulders up. We see Aurora swimming in a laced bikini on a few occasions and also see Jim shirtless a few times. In two separate scenes before Jim meets Aurora, his bare rear is exposed, as he walks down a hallway naked (his front is covered by a sheet) and as he takes a shower. Both scenes are brief. There is talk about a guy not wearing any pants, and Aurora is also seen wearing a low cut tank and nightgown.

The language in “Passengers” is relatively mild, as we only hear one s-word, three uses each of both d*mn and h*ll, and one use of “son of a b**ch.” The word “screwed” is used twice and some may pick up one or two possible misuses of God’s name amidst the perilous situations.

The violence, though not graphic, is intense at times, as the journey of the Starship Avalon becomes more and more perilous. *Please continue to read with caution as this portion of the review may contain spoilers due to there being such a small cast*. Jim injects himself with a needle in one scene, and after being alone for so long eventually contemplates suicide. Characters take some nasty falls from both slipping and gravity swinging back and forth on the ship. One character smashes a piece of glass out of anger, and Jim slaps Arthur just to prove to him he cannot feel anything. Aurora gets angry at Jim and pummels him while he’s asleep. She gives him a few hard kicks as well and raises a crow bar. She doesn’t use it, though.

One character nearly drowns while swimming. Another coughs up blood and collapses from a health condition. Arthur begins to malfunction at one point and bangs his head against the bar counter. He cuts his head on glass and some wounds are seen. We see some “flesh” and the robotics underneath (not graphic). Characters get tossed around by hurling winds, one gets trapped between two doors, and there are some big explosions as flames go wild and nearly burn our heroes. Machines crash and break and debris goes flying in one scene. One character gets impaled by a piece and blood gushes out as the piece gets removed. Characters are nearly frozen to death and get burned when they touch certain things. Though protected, a character gets engulfed in flames and shot out into space. The characters are in constant peril throughout most of the film.

There is a fair amount of alcohol consumption as the couple hangs out at the ship’s bar. They appear slightly tipsy a couple of times.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” —Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV)

Yes, two is certainly better than one. But “Passengers” takes the wrong approach, as our heroes dive into a sexual relationship. The film does touch on some powerful themes, though, as the importance of companionship is displayed, self-sacrifice is applauded, and courage and bravery are both held in high honor. “Passengers” shares a bold message. Loneliness is a terrible, terrible thing and humans were never intended to be alone. We were meant to have companionship, whether it just be a casual friendship or a romantic relationship. The story of “Passengers” obviously focuses on the latter. But the film still does a solid job of portraying how loneliness and depression affect an isolated individual, and how he or she can be lifted up by having a companion.

“Passengers” also touches on how desperation and selfishness can cause one to fall, and we see this through Jim’s character as he struggles with temptations in the first act of the film. We also bear witness to how his selfishness affects his relationship with Aurora. A small message on the sanctity of life is also displayed, as Jim struggles with thoughts of suicide. We can see through Jim’s actions, he values life and that suicide is not the answer to his current situation.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10

“Passengers” isn’t really anything special. It is somewhat predictable, but it’s engaging, thanks to its likable characters. It certainly isn’t “Titanic” in space, that’s for sure. The film does, however, touch on the fact that technology is too heavily relied on and that it is imperfect. The only content to really be concerned about in this science-fiction romance is the sexual content; though that should be enough for most Christian audiences to take a pass. The violence, though intense at times, really isn’t graphic nor is the language very profane. “Passengers” has some uplifting messages about life, but, sadly, the filmmakers decided to go with on-screen sexuality, which prevents this film from being family-friendly. Sadly, most audiences today embrace this form of lifestyle portrayed, and this film serves as a reminder of the ungodly, secular culture we live in.

1 Corinthians 6:18 shares,

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.”

I tend to share this verse a lot, but it serves as an excellent reminder of the true consequences of sexual immorality. “Passengers” doesn’t show any consequences. In fact, it displays that having a sexual relationship outside of marriage is perfectly normal and acceptable. The film may have some powerful and heart-wrenching moments, but it’s messages of true love and development of a romantic relationship are nothing short of problematic. In the end, “Passengers” is a story about two lost souls who confide in each other and don’t even give God a second thought.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:13

Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Mild to Moderate / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

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