Review of Europa Report (2013) by Tyler W — 15 Sep 2015

Amid the slew of great sci-fi that's come out in the last few years, this little gem seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle. Europa Report manages to blend hard science fiction with the thrills of a haunted house adventure, often brilliantly.

Europa Report is a found-footage film, which doesn't usually bode well. But the technique makes sense in this film, even if the reason is not apparent at the very beginning. This combined with the nonlinear narrative and some innovative scene transitions manages to keep you engaged the whole time. It allows some of the common tropes of the horror genre to be used effectively, without asking the audience to shut their brains off.

In fact, this movie very much wants the audience to think. Rather than fantastical scientific jargon that's muttered quickly, this movie is about scientists talking science. Europa Report asks some very intriguing questions about a galaxy not so far away. The explanations, the convincing performances and the breathtaking terrain lead to a film that feels very real, which only adds to the thrill.

The only complaint I would launch at this flick is that sometimes it doesn't know what it wants to be. The two genres of hard sci-fi and horror blend together very well, but occasionally the story gets lost in the lab and gives us too much time to calm down from the last big moment. And it could be said that the found footage doesn't give the audience enough chances to feel the fear of these overconfident astronauts.

But none of that is enough to ruin Europa Report. The premise is exciting, the execution is original and the ending pays off. Space is terrifying again.