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"SOLARIS"
(2002) (George Clooney, Natascha McElhone) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Mild Moderate Moderate Moderate None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild Minor Mild Minor Heavy
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Heavy None Moderate Heavy Mild


QUICK TAKE:
Sci-fi: A psychologist must decide what to do when he encounters his dead wife on a space station orbiting an apparently sentient planet.
PLOT:
Chris Kelvin (GEORGE CLOONEY) is a psychologist who's focused on his work after the untimely death of his wife, Rheya (NATASCHA McELHONE), several years ago. Both of those factors are the reason his close friend, Gibarian (URLICH TUKUR), has sent him an urgent communiqué requesting him to come and investigate the strange occurrences and behavior being experienced onboard his space station, the Prometheus.

Orbiting the planet Solaris, the station's crew has been investigating its economic potential as a viable commercial property or possible energy source. Yet, it seems that the planet has similarly been examining the crew and has created a situation that they don't want to leave, but which is driving them mad.

When Chris eventually arrives on the Prometheus, only two of its crewmembers, Gordon (VIOLA DAVIS) and Snow (JEREMEY DAVIES) are alive, and both are acting quite odd. Hoping to get to the bottom of what's occurred, Chris questions both of them, but doesn't get any concrete answers.

What he does get, however, changes his life and view of it. In the middle of the night, Rheya suddenly arrives, unaware that she's supposed to be dead. Chris is understandably spooked and confused about her presence, but eventually realizes that the planet has somehow read his mind and created a perfect copy of her.

Although he's initially a bit reluctant to interact with Rheya, he eventually does and soon becomes intoxicated by her presence, especially due to the tumultuous way their relationship and her life ended a few years back. Yet, as Rheya eventually begins to realize that and Gordon insists that the wife be destroyed before they head back to Earth because she's not the real thing, Chris must decide what to do about the situation.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're fans of anyone in the cast or old-school sci-fi stories, they just might.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For sexuality/nudity, brief language and thematic elements.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • GEORGE CLOONEY plays a psychologist requested to travel to a space station orbiting above a mysterious planet. Once there, he must decide how to deal with the presence of his wife who seems unaware that she's been dead for several years.
  • NATASCHA McELHONE plays his wife who shows up on the space station as something of a replicant. We also see her in flashback to when she was alive and used brief strong profanity, had an abortion and became depressed enough to commit suicide.
  • VIOLA DAVIS plays a crewmember who's disturbed by the sightings and encounters on the station but tries to remind herself and Kelvin that the people are not real. She briefly uses profanity.
  • JEREMEY DAVIES plays the other surviving crewmember who's a bit mentally out there and seems mesmerized by what's occurring. He briefly uses profanity.
  • URLICH TUKUR plays the commander of the station who summons Kelvin's presence and help in trying to figure out what's occurring.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    Here's a quick summary of the content found in this sci-fi film that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 use of the "f" word, while a handful of other expletives and colorful phrases are present. A couple is briefly seen having sex with some movement, kissing and partial nudity. Other brief nudity (a couple lying nude on a bed with only his bare butt being visible) is also present.

    A few suicides or attempts take place off camera, as does other violence (including a murder) that leaves some bloody results. Some of that material and other moments might be unsettling or spooky to some viewers, particularly related to the presence of an otherwise healthy-looking woman who's supposed to be dead.

    The latter part includes some tense family flashback material regarding a failing marriage. Thematic issues include those related to suicide, abortion and sci-fi elements regarding what constitutes life. Meanwhile, a few characters briefly drink.

    Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • In a flashback, people hold what are presumably drinks, including Chris and Rheya who drink from theirs.
  • Chris, Rheya and others have wine with dinner.
  • Various pills of an unknown substance are taken by Chris and Rheya.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • Chris accidentally slices his finger with a kitchen knife and we see some blood on the finger (along with the small cut). He later does this again and we see some more similar blood.
  • Once Chris is on the Prometheus, he finds dried blood on the floors, walkways, walls and other areas, as well as a bloody glove. He then finds several bodies in body bags (we see just the bags and some blood on one of them).
  • We see a section of Rheya's face that's been eaten away by acid-like liquid oxygen that she tried to consume (the wound is black and deep).
  • We see a dead person with a little bit of blood on them and hear that they were murdered.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • There's a discussion about God that some viewers might not like in that Chris states that He was dreamed up by man, another says He was given human characteristics and that Chris things our existence is merely mathematical probability.
  • We learn that Rheya apparently had an abortion without telling Chris (he was the father).
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Once Chris is on the Prometheus, he slowly makes his way through the station and then finds dried blood on the floors, walkways, walls and other areas, as well as a bloody glove. He then finds several bodies in body bags and we see some blood on one of those bags. He then hears sounds and goes to investigate.
  • It's possible some viewers could be unnerved by the mystery of what's occurring on the ship and its crew talking in nebulous terms about that. The same might be true of Rheya's sudden presence, particularly when we know she's supposed to be dead.
  • We see a large section of Rheya's face that's been eaten away by acid-like liquid oxygen that she tried to consume (the wound is black and deep). Her wound then heals and we see her body violently convulsing as she comes back to life.
  • Chris reacts in what looks like pain as the station is being pulled down toward the planet.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Away from those f*cking people" and "Freaked out."
  • We see a person taking many pills to commit suicide. She later tries again and we hear that another person killed himself as well.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • Rheya suddenly freaks out and screams for Chris not to leave her (her sudden outburst might startle some viewers).
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A mild amount of ominous music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A song playing in the background of a scene has the lyric, "Kick your ass."
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 1 "f" word, 5 "s" words, 1 ass, 1 crap, 4 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use of "G-damn" as exclamations.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • We see inter-cut parallel scenes of Chris and Rheya making out (one in a dream, the other on the space station) and then having sex. During this, we see the two standing nude from a distance in partial shadows (we see part of her bare butt and even more of his over which she runs her hands). We then see her on top of him with a bare back and movement as both sit upright (mostly head and shoulders shots and a few torso shots). We also see him on top of her and then a hand caressing skin and more sensual kissing.
  • We see a flashback shot of Chris and Rheya lying face down and completely nude on the bed while talking and eating. The shot is from around a 45-degree angle off to the side and we see the side and part of the top of his bare butt, but his body blocks any explicit nudity on her part.
  • We see a flashback of Rheya with a positive pregnancy test (but we don't know if she's married or not to Chris at this point).
  • Snow wonders if the replicants can get pregnant.
  • We see Chris in just his boxers.
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • We see that Chris misses his wife who's been dead for several years as well as flashback images to them and their relationship souring with some tense moments. We also see him returning home after a fight to discover her dead from an overdose.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • What constitutes life.
  • Suicide.
  • Abortion.
  • Whether we're destined to repeat or revisit our mistakes from the past.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Chris accidentally slices his finger with a kitchen knife and we see some blood on the finger (along with the small cut). He later does this again and we see some more similar blood.
  • Chris knocks some stuff around while angry at Rheya.
  • We see Rheya taking many pills to commit suicide (we don't see the actual death).
  • We see a large section of Rheya's face that's been eaten away by acid-like liquid oxygen that she tried to consume to kill herself (the wound is black and deep, but we don't see it occur).
  • We see a dead person with a little bit of blood on them and hear that they were murdered (but we don't see the act).



  • Reviewed November 22, 2002 / Posted November 27, 2002

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