Life

Life, a 2017 sci-fi horror film directed by Daniel Espinosa, tells the story of the crew of the International Space Station, where six astronauts are on a mission to study a sample from Mars. The sample, a meteorite fragment known as Murchison, is the first piece of evidence to suggest the presence of extraterrestrial life. As the crew of the ISS, including scientists Dr. Catherine Benson (Naomie Harris), Dr. Hugh Derry (Oscar Isaacs), and physicist Rory Adams (Aaron Eckhart), and the ISS commander, Dan Lucas (Dean Norris), analyze the sample, they begin to realize that it may hold more secrets than initially thought. Upon examining the Martian sample using advanced scientific equipment, the crew discovers that it contains a unique microorganism that defies explanation. The microorganism, named Caltech-1, appears to be a self-replicating organism that possesses its own RNA and DNA, indicating that it is an alien life form. However, as the crew continues to study the life form, they begin to experience strange occurrences that suggest the microorganism may be more intelligent than anticipated. One of the first signs of unusual activity comes when Dr. Derry discovers that the microorganism has begun to replicate at an alarming rate, covering the interior surfaces of the lab and threatening the very existence of the space station. The crew becomes desperate to understand the nature of this rapid growth and how to contain it. However, as the days pass, the situation becomes increasingly dire. While the crew is struggling to cope with this unexpected threat, they begin to realize that the microorganism is not only intelligent but also highly adaptable and resilient. It seems to be evolving at an exponential rate, allowing it to infiltrate every aspect of the space station and adapt to the various surfaces and materials it encounters. As tensions rise aboard the ISS, Dr. Adams and crew members David Jordan (Corey Stoll) and Sho (Rupert Friend) discover that the microorganism is not just a product of natural evolution but is, in fact, an advanced, artificial life form created by an extraterrestrial civilization. Furthermore, the artificial life form, known as Caltech-1, has a primary command to initiate self-replication to infest and overrun all systems that come into contact with it. As the crew grapples with the implications of this knowledge, a series of tragic events occur. Caltech-1's self-replication capabilities prove unpredictable and merciless, sending shockwaves through the space station. Panic sets in among the remaining crew members as they repeatedly attempt to jettison the rapidly multiplying threat into deep space. However, each attempted jettison leads to more critical failures of the station's life support systems. Meanwhile, the surviving ISS crew members' sanity begins to fray as the never-ending assault on their living space shows no signs of abating, gradually pushing them towards erratic decision-making. However, Dr. Catherine Benson is left to devise and execute a plan to resolve this sinister threat while David Jordan, desperate to protect his colleagues, will end up in desperate extremities once trusting into these unpredictable circumstances. While survival hangs by a thread, the entire narrative is woven around one ultimate revelation: no matter how powerful or intelligent it might be, Caltech-1's life is inextricably connected with the six ISS astronauts themselves, underlining an unforgiving cosmic worldview. Life transcends science fiction's stereotypically ominous or science-driven boundaries, ultimately concluding with an unpredictable look into human and extraterrestrial coexistence and a deeply human realization: sometimes the true horrors and unsackled fates we face when leaving Earth are all of our own choosing. The picture demonstrates just how life in confinement can be transformative, alienating humanity, fostering a survival drive we don't have when within our Earthly surroundings.