Stowaway - A Netflix Movie Review

This trip into space is a rare opportunity. It’s not going to be an easy journey.

Stowaway traveled by rocket onto Netflix in 2021. A trio of scientists discovers an unexpected guest in their rocket. Not having the air supply to accommodate an extra member, the team has to make difficult decisions for their survival.

Noticing that Stowaway was getting negative reviews, I went into this film with a different perspective. Stowaway had me guessing at what was going to happen at each second. The climax is so riveting that I felt my heart pounding. Stowaway is a film about making the right decisions in difficult situations.

Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette were superb in their performances. Stowaway is a character study. The quartet took the time to explore their dynamic, especially in a setting like this.

I was impressed with Kendrick. This is the first time in which I have seen Kendrick fully become a character instead of interweaving her personality. The way she flew up out of her seat in excitement upon arrival to space reminded me of myself. Zoe takes charge. She demonstrates incredible leadership. That and she conveyed emotion.

Each crew member has a chance to stand out. I have never heard of Anderson before this film, but he mastered his emotions. Many viewers wanted to know why and how he stowed away on the rocket. In my opinion, it’s better to be kept as a mystery. Learning what happened would ruin that atmosphere.

One element that the film explored well is remorse. Learning that his research may not have a chance because of circumstances, David (Kim) surprised me. His actions are a great example that sometimes we forget ourselves. Kim did an outstanding job manifesting guilt.

I felt like Collette could have had more to do in the story. As always, Colette is remarkable with her strong expressive face. She did embody how difficult being in charge is. Part of me wishes that she took the place of a pivotal decision because it just feels like she is there.

The slow pacing was necessary. It demonstrated the world of space. And it prepared us for the riveting climax. You really get the feeling of isolation in this compact space. It was a good approach that we don’t hear voices from earth over the radio.

Joe Penna invested in the characters. He made me relate to the characters, to fully understand where they were coming from. Decisions are not an easy process. His best direction is in the sequence where the trio discusses their actions.

Penna explored the raw quiet moments with depth. I like how the tone changes from excitement to trapped isolation. Every sequence in space was riveting.

Details of the spaceship were designed very well. The cinematography was excellent. The visuals of space are the best part. Filmmakers spent countless hours rendering shots of space. Although it looks fun, I’m not sure if I’d ever want to float around in space. You have to be well prepared to do missions like the characters do in the story.

Yes, I agree there were some notable inaccuracies of how space works along with how astronauts do their job, but it was not distracting to me. I don’t know a lot about the world of space, so I was mainly paying attention to the story.

Some elements could have been written better, but I still enjoyed Stowaway. My advice is not to view it for the inaccuracies of space but as a film about character study. Go find Stowaway on Netflix.