Passengers

Set in the year 2263, the movie Passengers is a science fiction romance epic that delves into the themes of loneliness, companionship, and the consequences of playing god. The film takes place aboard a state-of-the-art interstellar spaceship, the Avalon, which is on a 120-year journey to the distant colony planet of Homestead II, situated in the Tau Ceti system. The ship is designed to accommodate a massive number of colonists, carrying them safely through the vast expanse of space to their new home, where humanity can start anew. Among the 5,000 passengers on board, there are two individuals who will have a profound impact on the course of events: Jim Preston (played by Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (played by Jennifer Lawrence). Both are supposed to remain in stasis for the duration of the journey, but as a result of a random malfunction, their sleep chambers spring to life 90 years ahead of schedule. The Avalon's artificial intelligence, ART, is initially oblivious to the issue and fails to report the anomaly to the rest of the ship. With his entire life ahead of him, yet stuck in limbo aboard a desolate spacecraft, Jim Preston, a mechanical engineer, is faced with an existential crisis. He realizes he must cope with 90 years of solitude before he can reach his destination, which is a daunting prospect. He explores the ship, encounters its few automated robots, and discovers an impressive library with an extensive collection of movies, books, and classic music. Amidst his isolation, Jim adopts the robots as companions, watching old films, listening to music, and sharing conversations with ART. However, his life becomes increasingly predictable and monotonous, filled with the monotony of loneliness. Feeling the growing weight of his solitude, Jim seeks a way to alleviate his isolation. In an impulsive decision, he comes up with an idea that changes the course of his voyage, and ultimately, his life. Jim takes matters into his own hands, defying the laws of society by awakening a second passenger 90 years ahead of her call. This passenger is none other than Aurora Lane, a talented journalist and woman with her whole life ahead of her. With this unexpected encounter, Jim's life gets injected with a new lease of life, altering the dynamics of his journey on the Avalon. Initially, Aurora is hesitant and confused, wondering where she is, and why she feels this immense sense of disconnection. Due to her confusion, she does not initially understand the circumstances of her awakening. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence deliver compelling performances, which help convey the subtle nuances of their respective characters' emotions as the story unfolds. Their on-screen chemistry comes alive as the characters come together in a dance of fear, dependence, and unexpected friendship. As Jim navigates Aurora's budding sense of awareness, tension arises from his inability to reveal to her the truth about his deliberately awakening of her. He claims he accidentally awakened her because of his own mental despair. Recognizing his capacity for loneliness and confusion, he gradually creates a fantasy around it. However, Jim soon comes to appreciate Aurora's intelligence, wit, and spontaneity. Together, they form an unlikely bond that transcends their fleeting lives on the ship. Inevitably, this newfound companionship carries with it the weight of responsibility. Jim, having violated the terms of their agreed sleep, ponders over the consequences of his actions, should their actions be discovered by ART or other passengers on the ship. Fearful that he will be penalized or even put on trial for disturbing Aurora prematurely, Jim decides to come up with a rational pretext for their early awakening, which he considers an unexpected opportunity that they need take advantage of. Over time, Jim and Aurora form a bond that nurtures hope in Jim's fragile state of mind. Eventually, as their partnership deepens, they come to realize that this fateful encounter has the possibility of potentially altering their perspectives on life, even if temporarily. They realize that their camaraderie stems from their two different worldviews and provides them with an interesting experience of interhuman connection in this solitary atmosphere. Despite the secrecy that hangs over their encounter, their time together provides a beacon of hope in the desolate vastness of the stars. Notably, though their connection evolves and becomes multifaceted, Jim and Aurora have varying values and eventually discern the fragile and fleeting nature of their bond. Their relationships develop different layers, manifesting themselves through new friendships within the ship's passengers. Their relationships inspire changes in their human attachment with one another. Ultimately, the movie offers a memorable dramatic performance that captures the plight of immaterial objecthood, confronted with seemingly infinite existence. Passengers depicts this dynamic struggle with a thought-provoking premise that continues to examine the interplay between loneliness, friendship, and potential lost potential on both ends.