The science fiction movie Passengers, which starred Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, was directed by Morten Tyldum and released in 2016. The film, which is set in the far future, follows 5,000 passengers on a luxurious spacecraft as it travels 120 years to a far-off colony planet while they are kept in cryogenic sleep. One passenger awakens ninety years too early due to a malfunction, which starts a series of events that delve into themes of survival, morality, love, and solitude. Although Passengers has great visual effects and powerful performances from its protagonists, its ethically dubious concept and inconsistent treatment of its key connection contributed to the film’s negative reviews. We will explore the film’s story, themes, performances, and moral quandaries in this review, which will eventually look at why Passengers divides its audience.
Plot Summary: A Dream Trip Gone Awry
The journey to the far-off planet Homestead II for thousands of colonists and crew members starts on board the Avalon, a cutting-edge spacecraft. The voyage is expected to last a smooth 120 years, with each person hibernating in a pod. But thirty years into the journey, a defect wakes up mechanical engineer Jim Preston (Chris Pratt). Jim comes to the rapid realization that he would die aboard the spacecraft before it reaches its destination since he is alone and cannot go back into sleep.
Jim battles extreme loneliness and sorrow for over a year. The only people in his company are the depressingly relic-like recorded messages from Earth and Arthur, the robotic bartender played by Michael Sheen. Jim finds the pod of writer Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) in his desperation. Jim is drawn to her history and character, but he is faced with a moral conundrum: should he wake her up knowing that she would meet the same end as him, or should he keep her in stasis? Jim eventually gives in to his loneliness and awakens Aurora, tricking her into believing that her pod broke down in the same way as his had.
At first, Aurora thinks she and Jim are victims of the same terrible event. As time goes on, the two get closer because of their common loneliness and urge to find meaning in their limited lives. As their friendship develops, Jim’s conscience is troubled by the truth of Aurora’s awakening. Aurora is horrified, feeling deceived and ensnared in a life she never wanted, when she finally learns that Jim woke her on purpose.
The entire ship is in danger due to another serious malfunction as Aurora struggles with her feelings of betrayal and rage. Jim and Aurora will have to put their lives at danger to cooperate in order to save the Avalon from being destroyed. The couple decides to live out their days together and make the most of their remaining time on the Avalon as the movie comes to a close, accepting their circumstances.
Character Dynamics: Love and Betrayal in the Void
The central relationship between Jim and Aurora is the heart of Passengers, and the chemistry between Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence is one of the film’s strongest elements. Pratt, known for his charm and comedic timing, brings a likable and relatable quality to Jim, a man thrust into a hopeless situation. His portrayal of Jim’s isolation and despair is convincing, making his moral slip—waking Aurora—somewhat understandable, though not excusable. Jim is not a villain, but a flawed, desperate human who makes a selfish choice that has devastating consequences for another person’s life.
Jennifer Lawrence’s Aurora is equally compelling. She begins as a driven and ambitious writer, excited about her adventure to Homestead II, where she plans to document life on a new planet. Lawrence excels at conveying Aurora’s intelligence, vulnerability, and emotional range. Her devastation upon learning the truth about Jim is palpable, and her sense of betrayal is the film’s emotional climax. Aurora’s eventual reconciliation with Jim is less about forgiveness and more about acceptance—she has no choice but to live with what has happened, and so she chooses to find meaning and connection in their shared circumstances.
However, the film’s romantic subplot is fraught with ethical complications. Jim’s decision to wake Aurora, knowing she will suffer the same fate of dying before reaching their destination, creates a power imbalance in their relationship that is difficult to reconcile. The film attempts to navigate this moral gray area by highlighting Jim’s loneliness and framing his actions as a result of emotional desperation, but it never fully addresses the violation of Aurora’s autonomy. This ethical dilemma casts a shadow over the romance, leaving some viewers uneasy with the resolution.
Themes: Isolation, Choice, and the Ethics of Survival
At its core, Passengers is a film about isolation and the human need for connection. Jim’s early scenes, where he navigates the vast emptiness of the Avalon alone, evoke a sense of claustrophobic loneliness. The film draws comparisons to other isolation-centric narratives like Cast Away or Moon, where characters are forced to confront their own sanity and mortality when faced with endless solitude. Jim’s struggle is relatable on a human level—he craves companionship, and the idea of spending the rest of his life alone is unbearable. Yet, his response to this isolation—waking Aurora—raises ethical questions that the film never fully resolves.
The theme of choice also runs throughout the film, particularly in the way it examines free will. Jim makes a selfish choice for Aurora, robbing her of her right to choose her own fate. Aurora’s journey, once she learns the truth, is about reclaiming her agency. The film asks: What does it mean to make choices when all options are grim? In the end, both Jim and Aurora are forced to live with the consequences of their decisions, and they choose to make the best of their situation.
The film also touches on the idea of survival. As the ship begins to break down, Jim and Aurora must put aside their personal conflict and work together to save themselves and the remaining passengers. The ship’s malfunctions serve as a metaphor for their crumbling relationship, and the need to fix the ship mirrors their need to rebuild trust and find purpose in their lives.
Visuals and Production Design: A Gorgeous Space Odyssey
One of the most striking aspects of Passengers is its stunning visual design. The Avalon is depicted as a sleek, futuristic spacecraft with luxurious amenities, vast open spaces, and state-of-the-art technology. The film’s production design highlights the contrast between the ship’s opulence and the loneliness experienced by its characters. The vastness of space outside the ship further enhances the sense of isolation and insignificance, creating a visually arresting backdrop for the story.
The film’s special effects are equally impressive, particularly during the sequences where Jim and Aurora venture outside the ship or navigate its malfunctioning systems. One standout moment occurs when Aurora swims in the ship’s gravity-free pool, only to be trapped in a floating bubble of water when the gravity briefly fails. This scene showcases the film’s creative use of its setting and adds to the tension as the ship’s systems begin to fail.
Moral Ambiguity: A Divisive Premise
The moral ambiguity at the heart of Passengers is what has made it a divisive film. Jim’s decision to wake Aurora is undeniably selfish, and the film’s attempt to frame their eventual relationship as a love story has drawn criticism from both critics and audiences. While Passengers raises interesting ethical questions—about loneliness, choice, and the morality of survival—it never fully grapples with the darker implications of Jim’s actions. By the end of the film, Aurora seems to forgive Jim, and they settle into a life together on the ship, but this resolution feels somewhat rushed and incomplete. For many viewers, the film’s romantic ending does not satisfactorily address the betrayal at the center of their relationship.
A Visually Stunning but Morally Flawed Sci-Fi Film
Passengers is a film with immense potential, boasting stunning visuals, strong performances, and a unique premise. However, its central moral dilemma and the way it handles the relationship between Jim and Aurora leave it feeling uneven. The film’s exploration of isolation and the human need for connection is compelling, but the romantic resolution between its characters is difficult to fully embrace, given the ethical complexities of Jim’s actions. Despite these flaws, Passengers is an engaging and visually beautiful film that raises thought-provoking questions about choice, survival, and the lengths we will go to avoid being alone.
