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MOVIE: Solaris
Starring George Clooney, Natascha McElhone
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Produced By James Cameron and Steven Soderbergh
Screenplay by Steven Soderbergh
Music by Chris Martinez
20th Century Fox
Reviewed by Rusty Pipes
Solaris, a surreal drama which takes place in a space station orbiting another planet, is easily one of the best films of the year. The motifs are all sci-fi, but unlike most sci-fi flicks the important action is all psychological. In the background there's always the abstract beauty of Solaris rotating below but the film doesn't rely much on high-tech gimmick and action like Attack Of The Clones. In a way it's like Alien with a small cast roaming a lot of empty metal hallways, but it's not a monster-about-to-attack situation. Instead the film is seductively disorienting. The cinematography is tightly confined; there's only five characters with any lines and most scenes are shot in extreme closeup, but also with deft use of out-of-focus pans that keep you guessing about what's going on.
Steven Soderbergh, most famous for films like Traffic and Erin Brokovich, proves he's adept at yet another style in his first assay at science fiction. (Is there anything he's touched that hasn't been a well crafted delight?) Solaris was originally a story by the great sci-fi master Stanislaw Lem and was first made into a long three hour film by Russian Director Andrei Tarkovski in 1972. Soderbergh's remake is mysterious and puzzling in a way that harks back to 2001 A Space Odyssey. The soundtrack is sparing, most scenes have no music at all, but Chris Martinez contributes some beautiful electronic work when he gets the chance. In spots his score reminded me of Lux Aeterna, also from 2001.
George Clooney, known more for popcorn movies like Batman and Out Of Sight which he also worked on with Soderburgh, recently seems to have taken a page out of Bruce Willis's book by showing a willingness to take chances on off-beat movies like this and O Brother Where Art Thou two years ago. He plays Chris Kelvin, a doctor who's come to the remote outpost only to find a crewmember he knows is dead. Providing counterpoint to his search for redemption Natascha McElhone plays Rhea, his dead wife who is resurrected by Solaris. Unlike her earlier role in The Truman Show, she mostly acts with her eyes here, but it's perfectly in harmony with the strange fascinating world of Solaris that Soderbergh has created.
The Skinny:
Am I glad I saw the film: Yes
Would I go to see it again: Sure, I think I need to see it 2 or 3 times just to figure it out!
© 2002 - Rusty Pipes