Review Summary: A gripping, high-flying, edge of your seat adventure.
It's been said that "adventure is out there". But flying isn't as easy and whimsical as what Carl Frederiksen did in that Pixar classic. Just ask these two adventurers. Their journey to break mankind's record of flight in the 1860's is definitely way more than meets the eye. And for me, its' one that is more exciting and impressive than I originally expected.
Director Tom Harper wastes no time at the films' start, jumping right in and gripping us from the beginning. That isn't to say the film lacks in character development. Harper uses a few effective flashbacks that help us understand the characters' motivations for reaching the stars. These flashbacks are a little long in a couple of places, but they serve their purpose pretty well. It also sets up for a couple of very interesting and well-executed reveals that I didn't quite see coming at the beginning.
As entertainer and pilot Amelia Wren (who actually is a fictional character), Felicity Jones (Theory of Everything, Rogue One) gives a career-best performance. She steals the show at the beginning with a surprising showman's persona. She then convincingly morphs into something more serious and determined as time goes on. Meanwhile, Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts films) is terrific here too as scientist James Glacier. His serious, analytical personality changes in a few fascinating directions also as time goes on.
The overall ride is definitely lively, with a mix of distance, helicopter, and close-up shots that effectively sell the more intense scenes and really give off an "edge of your seat" vibe. As the pair make their way up into colder and harsher conditions and then dangerously descend, the cinematography and special effects do a marvelous job of really giving us a feel of real danger. There are some CGI-infused moments, but they seamlessly work in making this ride as realistic, jaw-dropping, and insane (yes) as possible. There are many breathtaking cloud shots as well.
The screen I watched the movie on was surprisingly small to my disappointment. With the effective technical mix, this could have worked masterfully on IMAX screens (in fact, some scenes were filmed in IMAX ratio). In a surprise twist of fate, Amazon cancelled the films' original plan to release on larger screens. Instead, the major corporation opted for a limited two-week release on conventional screens before making it available to stream on Amazon Prime next Friday.
In the meantime, the overall production is terrific also. From the balloon's design, to the period piece art direction, and Alexandra Byrne's (Murder on the Orient Express) costumes, it evokes a style that mixes colonial times with the World's Fair. Oscar winning composer Steven Price (Gravity) accommodates all of this with a strong score.
I did find the pacing to be unsettled at times. But I believe at least part of that was intentional on the filmmakers' part. For example, the overall descent did feel like it dragged a little bit. However, at the same time, it's meant to help us understand how long it felt for the riders themselves. Having them descend much more quickly would have lacked a sense of realism.
While it doesn't have the greatest character stories behind it, Aeronauts still carries more gravitas than many spectacle films before it. And, as a moviegoing experience of thrills, spills and chills, its' quite the effective one.
My Score: 8.4/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing:
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic material and some peril)
Recommended age range: 10 years old and up.
Language: Two uses of "d***" and one of "for g**'s sake!".
Violence: This gets the film its' PG-13 rating. There's a handful of moments where characters dangle from heights very dangerously. Amelia and James get caught in a storm and are battered about the balloon's bottom (we see a bloody gash on James' head and some blood on his fingers). Amelia nearly falls off. Going up to a height that involves near below-zero temperatures, James nearly freezes to death (and we see a little bit of blood come out of his nose). We see Amelia have frost-bitten fingers in a handful of shots. And at the end, we see Amelia and James reach the ground rapidly, with James falling into a handful of trees and Amelia dragged on the ground a distance by what's left of the balloon (we see a few bloody gashes on both of them too as they limp around looking for help). A flashback sees a balloon falling dangerously, and a character self-sacrificially jumping off and falling towards his deathly fate (we see this a few times). James and Amelia get into a mild fight over whether or not to descend. Amelia climbs the side of a balloon dangerously, and nearly falls off.
Adult Content: Amelia is seen in a couple of low-cut dresses, and wakes up wearing her undergarments at one point (resembles a petticoat more than being revealing).
Drugs/Alcohol: We see James use Brandy (for trying to help warm Amelia's fingers). Glasses of unknown beverages are seen at a party. Its' suggested that Amelia has become an alcoholic following her husband's passing (we see empty glasses around her room).
Other: James is ignored and treated not very nicely by his cohorts. Amelia seems a bit too danger-loving in a few places (she throws a dog off the hot air balloon at the beginning, just to entertain guests...but its' not an idea I don't think kids should imitate). At one point, James insists harshly on not descending, while not thinking about his or Amelia's safety.
