Space Mining Cowboys
Prospect is a hidden gem of a sci-fi / western that likely flew under the radar for many. While not perfect, it is well put together, well-acted, and has enough suspense and action to satisfy many a fan of the genre.
Sophie Thatcher (in her film debut) is Cee, a teenager travelling with her dad Damon (Jay Duplass). The father-daughter team are flying through space prospecting for valuable materials, and their destination is a toxic moon containing organic gems which can only be extracted by skilful, experienced hands.
When the ship malfunctions on entry they are forced to land off target, and on their way to the intended site Damon is confronted by Ezra (Pedro Pascal) and his silent companion. They are hostile rival prospectors who attempt to rob him, but Damon’s fast talking manages to negotiate a deal to show them where the mother lode of gems is located. Sophie is hiding while this is happening and tracks the group, before ambushing and setting off a chain of events which leads to her teaming up with Ezra to find the fortune, and a way off the planet.
Pedro Pascal is good as the space cowboy with a strong vocabulary, and Thatcher shows clear signs of things to come. The two feature most through the movie but Jay Duplass plays the role of the prospector father with plenty of street smarts and a ruthless, take all loot you can find attitude. It sets the scene nicely – we are dealing with the old west here – Lives are negotiable as long as you can get the riches you came for.
The special effects are generally very good, it’s interesting to see how far you can go these days with a smaller budget. With digital effects obviously being a lot cheaper now, indie films have really benefitted from the technological advancements. With most of the film happening on the ground of the forest moon, the other worldly-ness is presented well with floating spores and strange organisms that hold the precious gems (think oysters but a bit grosser). It’s a lesson in using what you have without overreaching.
Overall, Prospect is a good, short, entertaining western style sci-fi movie which builds its characters nicely and manages to create a believable world, despite the lower budget compared to what you may get with bigger studio space operas.