The Midnight Sky

Unlike some other recent cinematic outer-space adventures, the existential crisis in The Midnight Sky remains mostly earthbound.

Filled with desolation and despair, this dystopian drama from director George Clooney is intermittently powerful but hardly a crowd-pleaser. Ultimately, the ambition in this sprawling tale of human connection exceeds its grasp.

Clooney also stars as Augustine, a bushy-bearded astronomer in 2049 who chooses not to leave an arctic observatory after a global catastrophe forces all survivors underground. Suffering from an illness that requires regular blood transfusions, and stuck in an emotional tailspin from past trauma, Augustine seems resigned to his isolated fate.

One motive involves getting in touch with the crew of the Aether, a troubled space vessel returning from a mission to test the viability of life on Jupiter. In particular, Augustine wants to urge the ship’s captain (David Oyelowo) and assistant (Felicity Jones) to turn around, and not subject themselves to the devastation on Earth.

Meanwhile, Augustine also meets Iris (Caoilinn Springall), a young mute girl who apparently was left behind when his colleagues evacuated. Despite his initial reluctance to help her, insisting he’s “the wrong person,” their codependent interaction enables him to rediscover the power of companionship and bring purpose to what’s left of his life.

The Midnight Sky essentially is two movies in one — or three, if you count the flashbacks detailing Augustine’s past — resulting in a muddled and frustrating exercise in spectacle over substance.

The deliberately paced script by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant), based on a novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton, conveys an appropriate sense of mystery regarding the vastness of space and the place of humans therein. Yet it’s contemplative to the extent that it challenges your patience, save for a potent climactic twist.

From the get-go, the film takes its time clarifying the setting and connecting the characters, lending a pervasive unease to the opening act. Then it meanders through a middle stretch that reflects an uneven translation from page to screen.

Besides the superior technical craftsmanship on display, as Clooney continues to showcase his versatility behind the camera, the heartfelt film benefits from committed performances that keep the material emotionally grounded.

Still, while it tries to maintain a glimmer of hope amid the harsh conditions and insurmountable odds facing Augustine and the crew, the narrative urgency too often becomes lost in the cosmos.

Rated PG-13, 118 minutes.