Air (2015)

an excellent and thought provoking film set in a very realistic and enthralling vision of the future, discussing the toxicity of our civilization and results of an unsettling chemical war. this is a movie definitely for those who love creepy atmospheres and unsettling scenarios, whilst questioning the film's two main character's loyalties to each other and the government.

Science fiction has always been there to "test us out" with elements of the familiar in scenarios that are entirely unfamiliar. That's probably a healthy thing, though one is perhaps entitled to question whether it is reasonable to "see how human beings behave" in a largely fantastic (in this case dystopian) scenario to which are added so many specific and contrived conditions (problems) that the already-inconceivable-looking scenario is made less possible by far. In essence, this is what Christian Cantamessa's "Air" does, and in so doing it in some sense resembles, for example, the films of the "Cube" series (though those were glossy and high-tech in their cruelty, while here all is shabby and grey). Still, in "Air" too, both cast (that's basically three players, and mainly just a pretty-Daryl-ish Norman Reedus plus the at-first-sight somewhat strange bedfellow of Djimon Hounsou) and audience are made to jump through hoops a bit to accept what's going on. There's also more than a hint of "10 Cloverfield Lane" in here, as well as the recent (i.e. later-than-2015) "Passengers".So does "Air" have enough to offer either a general audience, or else that more specific subset of people who are already die-hard sci-fi fans? I will elect to answer that question from the point of view of somebody included in the latter category and say "yes". Ultimately, this is an imaginative and intriguing film in which our route to the shocking dystopia it portrays is just about fleshed out enough to engender a shudder and a measure of satisfaction among we "experts" in things that could go wrong with the Earth. It also does well enough at portraying the simultaneously dull yet creepy mini-world that has remained habitable in the midst of catastrophic destruction. Occasionally that confined world has a measure of cosiness, more often it seems claustrophobic, but the imagination takes flight and the empathy turns on when one is made to realise that that is now "all there is". The storyline reminds us repeatedly that this was a last-minute effort cobbled together to try and save something as opposed to nothing, and this is rather a first in movies of this ilk, and somewhat poignant it is too, at least at times.Indeed, so relatively slapdash and Heath Robinson is much of this that our two key characters have few options to work with, yet do keep working hard to expand that list. And given the very specific way they do their jobs (coming out of stasis only periodically for very strictly-limited periods of time), it is true to say that at most moments in the film we viewers have little or no idea of what will follow. Maybe that throws up expectations that can't be met on occasion, but it must also be seen as something reasonably fresh and unique in a film.Ultimately, people are people, and even the scale of our heroes' responsibility (which we are reminded of repeatedly) and the measure of the dystopian challenge cannot suffice to allow our two maintenance men to go on robot-like, doing the job without emotion. Rather, emotion tends to take over, as well it actually might under such extreme circumstances , so fair enough. The very final segment goes with that, but is far less successful, and indeed looks surplus to requirements in what is otherwise a pretty well-imagined and taut piece of film-making supplying a truly awful end of the world on a shoestring, but actually rather well; and offering us a thought-provoking and unpredictable storyline on the back of two seemingly randomly-selected actors who actually gel effectively enough.

I just can't forgive lazy writing. The plot was good but wasn't delivered effectively. I don't blame the acting (though its hard not to see Norman as Darryl (especially as he is rocking the same look as TWD series).Essentially I found it hard to believe that Bauer descends so quickly into a murderous rage when the sleep pod malfunctions and almost kills him. When he reviews the footage and sees Cartwright was almost catatonic at the time, surely his first impression would be to confront him about his delusions.Why the hell would they pump air into that huge facility each time the wake up when 2 people would use a fraction of the air by wearing suits and breathing bottled air? This is the most glaring logic flaw. You could last for days on the air remaining inside the facility without any re-circulation machinery running.How does Cartwright get all the way to the top of the silo and look out over the broken city and then get back in time? It looks like the site was nuked so how does their silo survive without a single indication. It is right next door to the destroyed one.How does Cartwright survive getting shot?How does Bauer know "it's all a lie" when they have no way of knowing if the other facilities are on line or not.Too many questions. Too many failures of logic.

The first feature length sojourn of Skybound, the group behind the universally successful Walking Dead comics, TV show and all subsequent run-offs, Air (featuring TWD's very own Norman Reedus) is an at first engaging and tense low budget Sci-fi that sadly descends down a rabbit hole of increasingly uninteresting and questionable scenarios.First time director Christian Cantamessa (the man who wrote the fantastic video game Red Dead Redemption) certainly hasn't given himself an easy first feature to win out on with Air's plot almost exclusive focusing on the maintenance workers of Djimon Hounsou's Cartwright and Reedus's Bauer, who like his Daryl in TWD is still in need of a long overdue haircut.Like any film that sets itself around a confined space and a confined cast, say like a Moon or Buried, Air has to fight to keep viewers' attention almost entirely through things not seen and engaging acting and while Hounsou and Reedus share some form of chemistry it's not enough to carry the film potentially ripe idea to levels that could've made Air a must see Sci-Fi yarn.The central idea that Air basis's itself around of our air supply being tarnished by a range of natural of man-made causes with humankinds last hope a group of Noah's Ark like underground facilities with pods of long term sleeping humans is an interesting one and whilst familiar in many senses does seem somewhat fresh but Cantamessa and his co-writer Chris Pasetto can't wring enough out of their limited budget supply on top notch dialogue to take the idea to fresh places.Small moments and a quality opening half make Air something more than a non-event but this is certainly a forgettable start of Skybound's foray into Hollywood movies. Cantamessa seems like a young filmmaker with some talent and it'd be great to see him go on with his efforts here while Reedus is lucky he has Daryl to fall back on and poor old Hounsou is still chasing a role of the same quality he found in Blood Diamond and In America.2 ½ long past due haircuts out of 5