Movies

In ‘Ash,’ once again space is invaded, stylishly, with a sting of recognition

BBG News

Which individuals are eagerly anticipating residing on different celestial bodies? One might want to reconsider after watching the chilling, sci-fi-horror journey titled “Ash,” helmed by Grammy-winning Los Angeles music mastermind Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison). This production offers a minimalist tale of cosmic survival, brimming with extraordinary audiovisual panache and an unrestrained passion for the bizarre allure of grotesque mutations.

It’s clear that this film, made on a modest budget, was created by a multi-talented artist who excels at crafting music for your dreams and nightlife. The flickering neon colors, disorienting flashbacks, and hypnotic electronic sounds as we explore the movie’s space station on the planet named in the title, where Riya (Eiza González) wakes up injured and bewildered amidst the gruesome reality that her colleagues have been viciously murdered, seem just as much like the aftermath of a terrible rave night as they do a failed interstellar mission.

Entertainment & Arts

At the beginning of Jonni Remmler’s screenplay, there’s a quick scene showing the outpost team of five enjoying each other’s company, playfully bantering about their ‘Neil Armstrong’ moment and hinting at their ambitious exploration goals for mankind. (It turns out that Earth is becoming inhospitable.) The characters – stoic Captain Adhi (Iko Uwais), easygoing Kevin (Beulah Koale) and Davis (Ellison) – seem dedicated to their mission, while Clarke (Kate Elliott) comes across as the joker, and Riya appears both straightforward and cynical.

Instead of focusing on casual movie discussions, the director prefers to immerse viewers in a darkly lit, otherworldly challenge filled with post-apocalyptic danger, colorful cosmic landscapes, and flashbacks that suggest Riya’s involvement in the massacre. He chooses not to dwell on character depictions or storyline specifics.

I find myself growing increasingly intrigued by the enigma surrounding the events that transpired, and it’s intensified now that a man named Brion (Aaron Paul) has appeared out of nowhere, responding to Riya’s distress call from his spacecraft in orbit. He urges her to take notice of the deteriorating oxygen levels and abandon the mission for safety. Yet, as my memories resurface, it becomes clear that the real danger is something far more sinister than we initially thought – a kind of menacing threat that would have surely fueled John Carpenter’s creative prowess in crafting our darkest nightmares.

Music

On a bright, sunny day at his residence in Laurel Canyon, the music producer Steve Ellison (known as Flying Lotus) was contemplating the claim made by his innovative jazz and instrumental hip-hop record label, Brainfeeder, as stated in a recent press release.

The influence of “Alien” is evident in the similarities with Ripley, but Carpenter’s signature touches are also apparent, notably in references to “The Thing” and a “Halloween”-esque emergence from the background. This could be why the movie earned a mention in the end credits. The music, too, bears a strong resemblance to Carpenter’s pulsating synth themes, with a touch of Angelo Badalamenti’s melancholic melodies. However, the soundtrack stands independently as its own captivating piece of techno-brooding music. Playing parts of it could make even a simple neighborhood errand feel eerily ominous, much like hearing pieces of Bernard Herrmann’s “Vertigo” score makes you feel like you’re following the car ahead of you.

In essence, ‘Ash’ is more about atmosphere than it is an exceptional narrative or deep character analysis, despite González’s steeliness conveying a lot about the emotional depth involved. Yet, in today’s era of costly and excessively complex world-building, it’s Ellison’s sensitive handling of familiar themes that makes an impact. Moreover, there is a powerful resonance in this Afrofuturistic interpretation of colonialist sci-fi, where the storytelling space is marked by a compelling blend of cosmic awe, identity crisis, and alien hostility. It’s gratifying to be reminded by movies like ‘Ash’ that we should never forget: Who are the invaders in this story?

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2025-03-22 02:01

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