2013 was not that long ago… but if you look at the state of technology, it may seem like ancient history - at least when it comes to space travel. This year, several companies that spearhead the development of commercial space flight are planning to send their fist human cargo in orbit, something that was, until now, reserved for Roscosmos, the Russian space agency. But this April, SpaceX will launch its first manned space mission. This means that movies like The Martian, Red Planet, and today’s topic, Europa Report, are one step closer to becoming reality.

Jupiter’s moon

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It has several large moons, of which at least a few could, in theory, be capable of supporting life. One of the prime suspects is Europa, a moon covered in a thick layer of (water)ice. Scientists think that Jupiter’s gravitational pull is keeping it geologically active, meaning that there is heat deep below its surface. And heat plus water may equal life.

Europa Report is a found-footage movie telling the story of the first manned mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa. The story is pretty realistic in the light of today’s spaceflight developments: a privately funded mission sees six of Earth’s best and brightest to see if there is indeed life on Jupiter’s frozen companion. 

 

As you might expect, things don’t go as planned: a solar storm hits the spacecraft, disabling its communication with Mission Control, and one of the astronauts is lost while trying to repair it. The crew continues the mission, ultimately reaching their destination where a brand new adventure awaits - just not the pleasant one they expected.

 

Directed by Sebastián Cordero, Europa Report has a cast from all over the world: American actor Christian Camargo is joined on the screen by Romanian actress Anamaria Marinca, Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, Hong-Kong-American actor Daniel Wu, Polish-American actress Karolina Wydra, and South African actor Sharlto Copley. The movie is scored by Emmy-winning composer Bear McCreary, known for his work on series like Outlander and Battlestar Galactica.  The movie used footage from the International Space Station to film its spacewalks. The moon Europa was based on data from NASA and the JPL maps.

Hard sci-fi movies rarely achieve the success of lighter genres. Ridley Scott’s “The Martian” was the exception, not the rule. Like many other similar independent titles, Europa Report wasn’t widely released in theaters - it hit VOD, iTunes, and Google Play Movies & TV first, followed by a very limited theatrical release. The critics were thrilled about it, though - many have praised it for its claustrophobic atmosphere, slow-burning story, intelligence, and realism when it comes to space exploration. The movie currently stands at an 81% “Certified Fresh” rating.

Europa Report is not a movie for everyone. It is a pressing, well-crafted space thriller, a great found-footage movie with none of the nauseating camera movements specific to the genre, with a strong cast that’s perfect for the role. 

It can be seen online at Apple TV, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.