Europa Report is a documentary style, found footage film that recounts the twenty-month journey of the first manned space flight to Europa, a moon of the planet Jupiter. The six-person crew is tasked with landing on Europa to take samples of water under the ice in hopes of confirming the presence of basic sources of life. The story is narrated in part by the CEO of Europa Ventures, the company that funded the space flight. Dr. Unger intersperses her commentary with actual footage from just prior to the ship’s launch up through the last footage captured by the video cameras interspersed throughout the vessel. While on the way to Europa, mysterious circumstances cause the live ship feed to be lost to Earth. Though the cameras continued to record footage on the ship, it wasn’t until this later video documentation was recovered that the entire mystery of the Europa mission could be told.
Chances are high that you have not heard of this film. It was released in August this year to limited fanfare and though critically acclaimed did not generate a large box office. A recent review reminded me of the movie’s existence and I was happy to see that it was available for streaming on Netflix. Like another independent film of a few years ago, Moon, Europa Report makes a great effort to portray realistic settings and concerns with a film that focuses more on story than on special effects. That is not to denigrate the effects, because they are well done.
Europa Report begins in strong fashion by revealing a mystery that draws the viewer in and then begins to unveil the overall story in a series of nonlinear flashbacks coupled with then-live footage of the crew of Europa One. The cast was largely unknown to me and every performance was strong. Though the film does trade on the idea of life on other planets, the bulk of the film focuses on the lives of six people as they take a nearly two-year-long journey to a place that humankind has never been. There is something both beautiful and terrifying about this journey and the filmmakers convey both of these emotions in subtle ways that draw the viewer in.
I hesitate to say much more other than to encourage you to work Europa Report into your viewing rotation. Europa Report is further proof that science fiction need not have hundred million dollar budgets and celebrity casting to be engaging and emotionally satisfying. Bring on more films of this caliber.
I watched it today per your recommendation this week.
What a sleeper of a film! I thought it was perfect to use unknown actors. It gave it more of a feeling of watching real footage. Familiar faces of either major actors or more normally supportave role actors would have taken away from the feel of the film.
Great show!
I’m glad you both watched and enjoyed it. I was impressed and am glad that the review I read reminded me of it and said the kind of things that made me believe it was a show worth watching.
I’m glad the actors/actresses were not familiar to me (except for the guy from District 9/Elysium). It made it so that I concentrated on the story more than the individuals playing the parts.
Definitely going to check this out. I don’t want a lot of movies, but have been wanting to see good SF. Thanks for finding it!
You’re welcome, let me know what you think when you get a chance to view it.
Looking forward to this one. “Moon” was definitely a great find. As much as I like Matt Damon and Jodi Foster, I think using them in “Elysium” lessened the grittiness of the atmosphere.
Wasn’t “Moon” fantastic? Wow!
I like them both as well, but Elysium, while beautifully rendered and exciting in its own ways, was a bit too preachy. I also don’t see the appeal of taking the lead character and turning him into something looking like a monster.
Heh. That film just came up in my “recommendations” list on Netflix. I already added it!
Great! It is worth seeing. One of those times when Netflix’s strange recommendations algorithm came up aces.
Carl,
I’m glad to see you reviewing this movie. A friend and I both caught it earlier in the fall and have had a couple meandering conversations about the film. But I was convinced we were the only two to have heard of it or seen it.
Europa Report brought to mind Moon, as you have pointed out, but it also echoed Sunshine, something of a Event Horizon space-horror, and perhaps not a little Doctor Who when thinking about the Impossible Planet and The Waters of Mars.
Again, glad to see you reviewing this one. Have a great New Year.
Thanks for the recommendation. I’m not sure how I missed this one but this is the kind of film I enjoy. I just requested it from my library so I should be watching it soon.
You are welcome, please come back and let me know what you think, even if your impressions are different than mine.
Great recommendation. Watched it the same day I read this review. I really like Sharlto Copley. Gonna have to check out Moon…
Thanks Jeremy. I like him as well. It was interesting hearing him do a different accent as well as playing someone a bit more…normal…than I am used to seeing him.
Moon is SO good.
My thoughts exactly about Copley.