Solid Found Footage Flick
Europa Report is an interesting found footage film about the first manned mission to Europa, the icy Galilean moon of Jupiter. It takes a realistic approach to the perils of travelling far away from our planet and does a good job of using claustrophobia associated with deep space travel to build tension.
The plot is simple and fed to us via cameras around the spacecraft, opening with mission control losing contact with the ship, before revealing the footage has been recovered. It uses press conferences, news footage and talking heads to go back to the pre-take off build up. This works as a good introduction to the crew members and the weight that rests on their shoulders.
Jump to nearing the destination and we see the crew tested when a solar storm hits and knocks out the communication system, and things get worse when they attempt to repair it. Despite the problems, they land on the Europa, though slightly off target. They manage to get the research moving but one thing leads to another, and risks need to be taken. The crew discussing their own lives versus the value of the research is an interesting moral dilemma.
The movie builds tension from both the realistic issues faced in space and the crews hope of finding extraterrestrial life; this being the primary goal of the mission. Are there single celled organisms in the ocean lying beneath the ice, or more complex life on the cold moon? The mystery and anticipation keep it entertaining throughout.
Despite having a semi-low budget feel, Europa Report holds its own as a found footage movie. The special effects are above average, especially the inside of the ship with its changing gravity zones. The actors are good, with some familiar faces such as Christian Camargo, Michael Nyqvist and Sharlto Copley. Not quite the top echelon but a solid cast who handle the subject matter well.
It builds nicely and pays off well in the final scenes. Recommended for anyone into the found footage genre or sci fi / space movies, or both.