Life, Sony Pictures ***
When a filmmaker calls a monster Calvin, they know exactly what they're doing. The man who gave his name to the doctrine of predestination probably wouldn't have personally enjoyed the idea of sharing it with the vicious Martian squid-thing at the heart of Daniel Espinosa's Life, but there's a certain poetry to the fact. This is a story about an unstoppable force, a study in inevitable destruction, and John Calvin is historically recognised for exploring the same subject. Notably though, the famous theologian and the writers who've name-checked him here reach very different conclusions about destiny.
The setup of Life is fairly simple for a sci-fi. The International Space Station, manned by a mix of Hollywood A-listers and non-Anglo-American alien-fodder, takes delivery of mineral samples from a Mars probe that include what is apparently a dormant organism. After British scientist Hugh (Aryion Bakare) manages to wake it up with an electric shock, it begins growing at pace, transforming from a tiny sign of Life of Mars to an increasingly malevolent creature. Before long it has begun to demonstrate its monstrous power, and has broken out of the confines of the lab, placing the whole crew at risk.
The rapidly-growing Calvin has even bigger aspirations however, and intergalactic risk analyst Miranda (Rebecca Ferguson) soon realises that the alien's presence in orbit has now placed the whole earth under threat. So Life doesn't just become a story about six people trying to escape from an alien in a confined space; the very future of humanity is in the balance. As the stakes are raised, Miranda and medical officer David (Jake Gyllenhaal) agree that whatever happens Calvin cannot be allowed to reach Earth, even if it costs them their lives.
Life is a pretty decent sci-fi flick: entertaining, well-written and believably performed. Like many recent movies in the genre (led by Interstellar), it has a commitment to trying to play out within the bounds of known science, so while we can't exactly legislate for the plausibility of alien life, the physics seem well-researched. What lifts the film however, is a truly stunning ending.
[SERIOUS SPOILERS AHEAD]
Without totally giving things away, it's fair to say that the final moments of Life reveal the true significance of the alien's theology-referencing name. While most Hollywood disaster movies – whatever the sub-genre – take a more hopeful view of the future, Life is ultimately much darker. It's not the usual movie redemption story, but a tale about hope being relentlessly thwarted every time it dares to raise its head. Events, says the film after John Calvin, are on rails. What will be, will be. There's no point hoping for a saviour when the path of destruction is set.
Most action films contain a thread of Christian connection through a redemptive hero, that saviour figure who comes through even if it costs him his own life. Rogue One is a perfect recent example, as are Doctor Strange and Arrival. In contrast, Life finds no place for a Christ-figure to save a fated world. Its release marks a possible shift toward un-Christian, and perhaps even anti-Christian narratives in action cinema.
It seems to me that Life couldn't be more 2017, the predictable product of a world that is fast losing hope. Political shifts and dark news from around the world is placing a dark cloud over our ability to believe that we're not all on a destiny-path to destruction. In simpler times I might have suggested this film was a rallying call to Christians to let their lights shine brighter. Right now I think Life is just a powerful lesson in understanding the times.
Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. Follow him on Twitter @martinsaunders.
