In a current world where everything is isolated due to a global pandemic, there’s something quite thrilling about watching movies where people are in isolation attempting to break out. Such is the case with Sputnik, a thrilling piece of sci-fi from Russia, which takes the creature feature to new heights.
Much of Sputnik was a mystery to me prior to screening the film as I only knew the title and one still shot from the first five minutes. However, in effort to write this review, I will give you a bit of plot. A young doctor Tatiana Yurievna (Oksana Akinshina) is on the precipice of losing her medical license due to some controversial methods of care. These methods catch the eye of the military and she’s recruited to take part in an experiment: helping the cosmonaut Konstantin Sergeyevich (Pyotr Fyodorov) and ascertaining his mental state after a space accident. However, there’s something more to the case, Konstantin has brought something back with him from space that could be threat to all humanity.
Sputnik is a very sharp film, Egor Abramenko should pat himself on the back for delivering such a sterling debut feature. There are so many moments in this film that are sure to get a rise out of audiences (I know I was screaming obscenities during scary parts) but what made those moments work so well was Abramenko’s laser like focus to make sure the dread was laced through every moment. That focus both mirrors the character’s plights and the audience’s interest in the story. There are so many shots that astound in this movie because Abramenko makes sure through his framing and actors that you must attend to every movement within the frame.
Most impressively, Sputnik slowly unspools its story, gradually introducing new element after new element. Where you might think this movie is going based on the synopsis written here or even after watching a quarter of the film. Genre movies can have the burden of previous movies weighing on them frame to frame, but Sputnik rises above expectations by investing in the science and the characters, trusting that the amazing work of the cast and crew can carry the audience through. And carry us through they did, as Sptunik firmly establishes itself among the year’s best movies.