This hauntingly beautiful sci-fi gem is a must for The Last Of Us fans – stream for free on Amazon!

I saw the indie production “Prospect” at Fantasy Filmfest 2018 – and with 4 out of 5 possible stars, I even gave it half a star more than my colleague Björn Becher in the official FILMSTARTS review. But we both agree: “Prospect” is a beautiful, intense and above all supported by the fab performances of Pedro Pascal and Sophie Thatcher Sci-Fi gem that captivates with its bizarrely beautiful pictures.

“Prospect”: Fresh, original and beautiful

In “Prospect,” young Cee (Sophie Thatcher) and her father take on a dangerous harvesting job on alien planets. When the two travel on a moon with a poisonous atmosphere, they meet two bandits – after a shootout, one of the strange men is dead, but so is Cee’s father. Out of necessity, Cee and the dark stranger Ezra (Pedro Pascal) team up because, after Cee’s transport pod is damaged, their best chance of getting it out of this hostile place is by working together.

The fact that two very different personalities, armed with pistols, join forces and cross an inhospitable landscape, could also happen in a Western – only here the protagonists* are in spacesuits and their oxygen is slowly running out. As familiar as this premise sounds: “Prospect” feels fresh and original because it doesn’t burn off the big sci-fi extravaganza with CGI effects and space combat, but it tells a small, intense story, driven by well-written characters, which is also visually intoxicating, although the real big bang effects are missing.

Because it’s not just the opening scenes, which take place in Cee and her father’s spaceship, which looks like it was put together from space junk, but that’s why it’s extremely authentic, looks great. It is especially the moonset, which on the one hand is familiar (namely just like a jungle), but at the same time intoxicatingly strange – Particles that constantly shimmer in the air and sensationally good, atmospheric lighting are all that is needed. And those who like to be fascinated by strong, enigmatic sights can look forward to the “red man in the box” – I still get chills down my spine even after watching the movie several times.

Before Joel & Ellie, there were Ezra & Cee…

But the heart and soul of the film are the characters and their relationship to each other. In fact, things slowly start to build between the newly orphaned Cee and the eloquent, almost poetic Ezra a relationship of trust, which nevertheless constantly seems to be on the edge. Because as charming as Ezra, who shares a love of books with teen Cee and bonds with her, may seem, he’s also a thief and murderer. And his only goal is to escape alive from this magically dreamy-looking but deadly landscape – and at all costs, it seems at first.

Speaking of “eloquent”, here’s a very personal extra tip: Do yourself a favor and watch the film in the original English version (possibly with German subtitles). Because dubbing Pedro Pascal’s somewhat rough yet buttery soft voice is just a crime (nothing against dubbing artist Ronald Nitschke!). On the other hand, the peculiarity comes across much better in the original atmo sound, which here mostly in spacesuits and therefore speaks a bit “muffled” or sometimes breathes heavily.

So while the unlikely duo wanders through the jungle, it is connected in its struggle for survival, not only figuratively, but literally. Because there is only one working oxygen pack left and the two are connected by a hose – which makes it harder for them to move, but also creates a menacing bond of dependency that makes it all the more important for Cee and Ezra to know each other learn to trust others. And trust becomes even more important for the duo when they eventually have to provide each other with medical care.

Increasing trust – and betrayal?

Narratively, the story isn’t always perfectly executed by directors Zeek Earl and Christopher Caldwell, who shot “Prospect” based on their own short film “Prospect” of the same name – much remains open, and it’s not always entirely clear whether audiences will understand the consciously have to close the gaps yourself or that the story has not been fully told. After all, as I said, the plot of a short film was used for a feature film.

But none of these little bumps make “Prospect” feel boring. There is too much to discover, the question of how many precarious situations to solve is just too exciting. the word duels between the cocky-looking but actually very sensitive Cee and the intellectual killer Ezra is too captivating.

You can almost feel how both characters, despite their superficially rough looks, yearn not to be alone in this universe that doesn’t seem to make things easy for the underdogs – and the tension gradually ebbs away. But until the end, the spark of a possible betrayal is also palpable. And to find out if it ignites, you have to “expectation“but see for yourself. Of course I don’t want to reveal that here.