‘Orion’ Review – Psychological Sci-Fi Succeeds At Asking The Tough Questions

We look to the stars with awe, but also with curious fright. Are we alone? This question still stirs debate here on Earth. Yet movies fuel imagination, discovery, and even terror when it comes to whether we are alone in the universe. The film Orion plays on those ideas and tremors to tremendous effect. A stirring examination of truth and double speak. Think of films such as Alien or Contact, with an unnerving game of this or that that centers more on the psychological aspect of first contact than on a harrowing discovery. Expert casting and smart filmmaking make this a film destined to take off.

Orion opens under a cloud of mystery and confusion. Astronaut Apollo (Drew Van Acker) wakes up with his memory gone. He finds himself in captivity, under the thumb of Jim (Andrew McCarthy), a NASA interrogator. A catastrophic accident has occurred, seemingly leaving his entire crew dead. Searching for answers, Jim presses Apollo to remember what happened, hoping to uncover who or what killed the crew before they made their crash landing back on Earth.

Memories come to Apollo in waves as he struggles to recall the details, bringing only more questions and uncertainty. Soon, a terrible truth emerges, and it involves something that returned on the mission and now threatens the fate of the entire planet.

This first-contact film relishes the mystery. Much of the story unfolds in riddles, leaving the audience in the dark about what has or hasn’t happened. Jim’s interrogation of Apollo is steeped in psychological tension. It becomes a game of trust as both the interrogator and the astronaut try to read the other person to determine their motives. The ultimate revelation shocks them, as it does the audience.

By design, the story is a slow burn. It keeps asking questions before answers have enough time to marinate. This one is a far cry from the B-sci-fi spectacles. Orion instead embraces a cerebral atmosphere, probing the very facets of human existence, morality, and design. Several twists unfold in manners that play expertly to the film’s game of hide-and-seek. Uncertainty lingers throughout, and the characters are crafted outside the usual sci-fi stereotypes. There’s almost an HBO-ification. It harnesses our attention through the allure of spectacle, but grounds us in a reality that is far from black and white, with tumultuous shades of gray.

Truth is at the core of film’s identity. What we perceive to be actual truth, such as fact over fiction, and truth that is personal or exists in the public square. No person is all good or all bad. In some cases, actions are defined by reactions. The film strips away the shiny veneer of intergalactic adventure and flying spaceships. In many ways, the film unfolds like peeling an onion, removing layer after layer until the center appears. Only here, the center is an orb of mass confusion, potential terror, and optimistic possibility.

Beyond the performances, Van Acker and McCarthy anchor the story through their battle of wits and dueling dichotomies. However, the real showstopper for Orion is how the film uses its effects. This one is far from a big-budget spectacle. Think not of Interstellar or Arrival. But its mastery of showing only when necessary reminds us that a big budget isn’t the only determinant of a story’s success. The audience needs a hook and intriguing characters to invest in over ninety minutes. Orion relies, to great effect, on human emotion and questions of our place in the universe to ground a story that is not only gripping but profound.

Orion takes off and soars to limitless hours—a riveting confrontation with truth and a powerful use of sci-fi storytelling. For some it may drag at points, but the sincerity runs throughout. Sure, a large budget might have allowed for bigger sets and flashier props, but that is not why the film hooks. The story is connective tissue, tapping into our fears, insecurities, and wide, hopeful dreams, here at home and beyond.

Orion is currently available on Digital platforms courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.

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