Review of Europa Report (2013) by Vern H — 10 Jul 2013

It has a somewhat anticlimactic ending, at times looses its cinematic energy when its, admirably, clinical, documentarian "science" and pacing takes more of the stage, there could have been more character development, and while they pull it off very well, the indie budget restrictions and found footage presentation make it feel visually repetitive, Europa Report is still a very clever, well-crafted, and even though provoking sci-fi found footage mockumentary with a unique and smart execution, an intelligent script including one awesomely fresh narrative twist, solid visual effects, a great score, and firm direction. Rent it if you are a fan of science fiction, and some intellectual food for though, but don't expect to get a lot of exhilarating action out of it either.

The story: Borrowing elements from Prometheus, 2001: A Space Oddessy, and some other sci-fi tales, Europa Report chronicles the journey of six astronauts as they travel to one of Jupiter's moons named Europa in an original blend of mockumentary and found footage. The point of their mission? To search for any traces of life, the creation of life, and possibly answer the lifelong question: Why are we here on Earth? But these brave astronauts can't be fully prepared for the dangers of space, and after losing one crew member, they are tested to see how far they will go to find an answer.

The good: The "found-footage" film has been ripped to shreds, and I'm happy to say that Europa Report shines a relatively new light on the well-worn genre, and successfully merges it with the mockumentary style to create a unique experience. The story has the right borrowed seeds from other sci-fi odysseys, and creates an intriguing story that poses many great questions, even if all of them can't be answered. I would say the strongest aspect of the film is its wise execution. The sharp consistencies, crafty "camerawork", neat time-shifting narrative, and focused staging/editing of its scenes create a fairly engrossing experience that's fresh as well. The script is pretty sharp and adds a strong sense of scientific realism to the risky adventure, even if you won't understand some of its technobabble. There also is one perfect twist in the screenplay towards the end that wonderfully shocked me, reinvested in the story even further, and broke a major cliche in the "documentary" genre. The special effects are fine, wisely crafted, and are very impressive for it's indie budget. The score is great and adds an engrossing pulse and wonder to the film. The performances are decent, not bad, but nothing spectacular either. Lastly, the direction by Sebastian Cordero is highly controlled and admirably organized.

The bad: Though it has interesting aspects about it, the film isn't the most entertaining sci-fi flick either. It is rooted in realism, and at times it sort of feels more like a SyFy show, but then unevenly will sway back into cinematic territory. This also is present in its pacing as at times it builds up thematically and let's you become invested, but at others it is less interesting, slower, or doesn't completely payoff its tension, which could be responsible for its, albiet creatively used, budget and limitations. This leads me to my next point which is that I admire the filmakers work technically as it is an indie flick, but with its lower cost comes limitations. I just wished you got to see more or would stray outside the space modules as it becomes, probably purposefully, claustrophobic and repetitive for the viewer, even though they do try to deviate from the main setting. I was slightly disappointed by the ending which ended on a definite cerebral note, but not as much a satisfactory one and just kind of cut the story short. It also would have helped the story more if the characters were more developed so when consequences happen to them, the audience could be more emotionally affected.

My take: It may vere into of a more SyFy channel territory and then back into a film, and isn't entirely captivating, but Europa Report is still a commendable and eye-brow raising sci-fi flick that you might want to check out if you're in the intellectual, or scientific, mood.