Stowaway
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Suspense, peril, language in emotional outer-space drama.

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Stowaway
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Based on 5 parent reviews
The dumbest space story ever...
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Realism in Space
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What's the Story?
STOWAWAY begins as three astronauts (played by Toni Collette, Anna Kendrick, and Daniel Dae Kim) are taking off on a rocket ship to Mars. Their mission will last two full years. But after just 12 hours, they discover a man (Shamier Anderson) locked inside one of the ceiling panels of the ship, apparently knocked unconscious before the launch. His discovery causes damage to some key hardware, resulting in a loss of oxygen aboard the ship. The crew quickly realizes they only have enough oxygen for three humans to survive their trek, not four. They'll make a series of increasingly risky attempts to solve the problem because their lives depend on their success.
Is It Any Good?
This film follows a long tradition of space movies that combine psychological drama with action. Really, how could traveling to Mars be any different? Stowaway puts its astronauts in a dire situation that requires self sacrifice and quick scientific problem-solving to survive, not unlike other recent titles like The Martian, Gravity, or Midnight Sky. And like these other films, the believability of the story rests on the actors. This is especially true when you've got just one setting and four characters (even the voice of the company contact communicated with back on earth is muffled, meaning the conversations are viewed as one-sided dialogues). The actors here do a fine job, but Collette stands out as the conflicted commander.
The rocket, situations, and solutions will sound scientifically valid enough to the lay person, though it's never fully explained how Michael came to be locked inside the spaceship's walls or how he could survive a rocket launch there. In any case, the psychological drama is much more interesting here than the action scenes, and the build-up is more engrossing than the resolution. Even on the space walks, the physicality of the challenge or the external threats are less intriguing than the characters' reactions -- will they have the emotional stamina to succeed? The characters stare out at the earth, receding further and further away from their spinning ship, a visual reminder of their dilemma, their solitude, and the uniqueness of their circumstance. Stowaway itself may not be so unique, but it's an engaging, attractive, and well-acted drama.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Stowaway compares to other sci-fi or space films you've watched. What seemed familiar and what felt different?
The characters are researching how to sustain life on Mars. Why?
Do you think films like this one are scientifically accurate? Why are why not? Where could you go for more information?
The characters face an ethical dilemma when they realize they can't all survive. What would you have done in that situation? Do you agree with David's actions? What about Zoe's?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: April 22, 2021
- Cast: Anna Kendrick, Toni Collette, Daniel Dae Kim
- Director: Joe Penna
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: STEM, Friendship, Space and Aliens
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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