Rubikon – Complex & Thoughtful Sci-Fi Movie
Director: Magdalena Lauritsch
Writer: Magdalena Lauritsch, Jessica Lind (Screenplay)
Starring: Julia Franz Richter, George Blagden, Mark Ivanir, Nicholas Monu, Daniela Kong, Konstantin Frolov
Plot: Following a catastrophe on Earth, the planet is covered in a toxic fog. The crew in the space station, must decide whether to risk their lives to get home and search for survivors. Or stay safe in the station’s “algae symbiosis system”.
Runtime: 1 Hour 49 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Rubikon starts as Commander Hannah Wagner (Richter) and Gavin Abbott (Blagden) arrive at the space station Rubikon. Above the Earth, an Earth covered in a toxic fog, with only pockets of survivors. Hannah and Gavin are replacing the existing team on the space station, remaining with Doctor Dimitri Krylow (Ivanir).
When the returning crew suffering a horrendous incident in the return. The Rubikon can’t get communication, the big question for Hannah, Gavin and Dimitri. Is whether they look for survivors, or continue the missing through space.
Thoughts on Rubikon
Characters & Performances
Commander Hannah Wagner is leading the new team sent to the Rubikon. She is waiting for loved ones to join her, while taking command from the previous team. Hannah will take control in a fair manner. Defusing any problems in the hand over and look for solutions when the team’s return flight goes wrong. She will bring the remaining team together to search for a logical solution. After losing contact with Earth, showing the leadership in the search for answers.
Gavin Abbott is the man joining Hannah for the early handover. A man that understands the computer system. Can search for problems, while using his skills to understand the problems communicating with Earth.
Dimitri Krylow is the scientist on the space station. The man using his research to develop the algae that is being used to sustain life in space for a prolonged amount of time.
Julia Franz Richter, George Blagden and Mar Ivanir give us great performances that will be filled with difficult decisions. Showing the reactions to this happening.
Story
Rubikon follows a small team on a space station. Who after a disaster on Earth find themselves needing to make the difficult decisions. About whether to wait and see if anyone is still alive or start the mission to stay on the station.
Magdalena Lauritsch’s directorial debut brings us a story that doesn’t look to give us the flashy sci-fi moments. Focusing on the dilemma needed to be made by the astronauts about how much is worth risking saving humanity. Without any signs of life to get to Earth without danger.
The story puts everything into the human factors about a cataclysmic event on Earth. Something that is addressed in the opening sequence, with the line mentioning not putting decisions down to human error.
Themes
Rubikon brings us a sci-fi movie set on a space station above Earth. Showing us the safe haven, the crew finds themselves in, while conducting research. Which could save humanity, after event on Earth causes a toxic fog storm. The effects in the movie will are kept to the minimum, with anything happening off camera, showing the reactions to the events.
Signature Entertainment presents Rubikon on Digital Platforms and DVD on July 11th.
Final Thoughts – Rubikon is a thoughtful sci-fi movie, leaving you wondering what you would do in the same situation.
