If you fancy a night in watching a DVD, then take a look at the selection available at Island Libraries. At just £1 per night, they’re a great bargain. Ed
Written by Ronnie Christensen and starring Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson – an actor of immense bravado for appearing in the extremely intense ‘Hard Candy’.
‘Passengers’ could be understood almost immediately as nothing too surprising for an audience who have read or seen ‘The Survivor’, a British novel and film from the 1970’s by the author James Herbert.
The subject is one of trauma and disaster survival and the mood is set of characters who are detached and in a post-state of shock, confusion or in the case of the character Eric – elation.
‘Passengers’ very gradually sets up the furniture and subtly hints at the perspective the therapist Claire is working with and shows that she is slightly becoming affected emotionally by the information she is collecting.
However, the thoughtful consideration of very accurate casting helps along the way, which is what reveals this particular movie to begin with, transcend into a film of some serious depth, with a quiet reserved strength.
By the simple direction and observation of the therapy/counselling perspective on paranoia and tension, it becomes a case that is an interesting case of study by director Rodrigo Garcia and the writer of how the path to acceptance is one very tricky journey indeed.
The answers to the truth that Claire seeks, to the audience may well be nothing new, ‘Passengers’ was not making that point all along.
Instead, towards the end the film ascends to quite a holistic and transcendental height of emotional release, that may well also touch very close to bliss.
Unexpected and highly considerate and also tender in its warmth, in only 89 minutes, ‘Passengers’ is genuinely enlightening.
