There exists a specific archetype of actor in Hollywood who, despite possessing undeniable talent, seems cursed to star in projects that are universally regarded as cinematic misfires. While there is an entire curated catalog highlighting such performers, most moviegoers could identify a few culprits without a second thought. Conversely, there are films packed with A-list talent that end up being so profoundly misguided—take, for instance, Thor: Love and Thunder—that one has to wonder what prompted such reputable names to sign on the dotted line.
<p>If you are a connoisseur of cinematic trainwrecks and aren't afraid to dive into the deep end, head over to Netflix. There, you’ll find the quintessential example of the "brilliant cast, disastrous script" formula: 2016's sci-fi romance <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2016/12/15/13967296/passengers-review/" target="_blank"><em>Passengers</em></a>, directed by Morten Tyldum of <em>The Imitation Game</em> pedigree. Despite being a fundamentally flawed film that has only become more jarring with the passage of time, it remains a consistent fixture on the Netflix charts.</p>
<p>Boasting a stellar ensemble including <a href="https://www.polygon.com/23708075/guardians-galaxy-3-end-credits-scenes-star-lord-phyla/" target="_blank">Chris Pratt</a>, <a href="https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23770527/jennifer-lawrence-no-hard-feelings-review/" target="_blank">Jennifer Lawrence</a>, Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne, and Andy Garcia, the tragedy of <em>Passengers</em> is its squandered potential. It had every ingredient to be a landmark space epic of the decade; instead, it settles for being one of the most unsettling "romances" of the 21st century.</p>
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<p>Pratt portrays Jim Preston, an engineer on a massive interstellar transport, the <em>Avalon</em>, bound for a colony 120 light-years from Earth. Chaos ensues when Jim is prematurely awakened from cryo-sleep, nearly a century before arrival, with no recourse for return. Facing a lifetime of solitude, he fixates on a fellow passenger, Aurora (Lawrence). His solution to his crushing loneliness? He sabotages her pod, forcing her into a life-or-death existence by his side.</p>
<p>The premise offers a genuinely gripping moral quandary: what would you do if you were in Jim’s shoes? To Tyldum’s credit, the film does acknowledge that Jim’s act of desperation is essentially a death sentence for an innocent woman. The film even touches on the gravity of this moral transgression, featuring a sequence where Lawrence’s performance poignantly captures the sheer horror of her situation.</p>
<p>However, Tyldum’s commitment to this ethical examination wavers significantly in the latter half. Upon its 2016 release, critical consensus was wildly polarized, with some critics comparing it to an intergalactic <em>Titanic</em>, while others rightly labeled it a "fantasy of Stockholm syndrome."</p>
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<p>The latter critique feels far more accurate. While there are moments of visceral, legitimate despair—scenes where Aurora confronts the reality of her stolen future—these are undermined by a narrative that asks the audience to empathize with Jim simply because he is lonely and she is beautiful. The film essentially shrugs off a monumental crime as a simple romantic misunderstanding.</p>
<p>I am not opposed to films exploring morally complex characters; however, <em>Passengers</em> fails to navigate the ethical consequences with any narrative rigor. Instead, it collapses into a saccharine, conventional romance that is as cringe-worthy as it is logically inconsistent. It is a movie that tries to balance a dark character study with a lighthearted love story, failing to commit to either and resulting in a total waste of potential.</p>
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<p>Ultimately, <em>Passengers</em> appears to be tailored for a very specific, unsettling fantasy: the idea that if you are trapped on a ship for 89 years, you can coerce a beautiful woman into falling for you through sheer proximity. Unless that is your particular brand of escapism, you will likely find the film fundamentally stomach-churning.</p>
<p><em>Passengers</em> is currently available to stream on Netflix and can be found for free on Tubi.</p>Source: Polygon
