"The Aeronauts" Review: This High Flying Balloon Falls Flat
Amazon’s The Aeronauts is based on the true story of early meteorology and flight. The film re-teams The Theory of Everything co-stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. It’s a harrowing adventure high above the clouds that manages to be equally lifeless at any point the film tells the story of life on the ground.
Amelia Wren (Jones) is a balloon pilot who is no stranger to the skies. She flew with her late husband on plenty of flights. So the opportunity to fly on a scientific expedition with James Glaisher (Redmayne) is welcomed. For Glaisher, he hopes to push past the heights previously set by other pilots to document the unknown of what is above us.
Within the balloon, the duo takes on challenges that come from humans facing atmospheric conditions they’ve never seen before. George Steel’s cinematography and sound designer Andy Kennedy’s attention to detail make the experience of watching Wren and Glaisher feel tangible as an audience member. As the balloon starts to ice over, the basket that separates them from a 20,000+ foot fall to their death does as well. The creaks and pops of the equipment draw you in, as does the cool blues and somewhat desaturated hues of the cinematography.
Weaved in between the experience in the sky is the backstory of Wren and Glaisher. These scenes give us context to who they are, how they met, and how the expedition came together but are not interesting enough to keep the viewer engaged. You’re left with a burning desire to get back into the balloon with their present peril instead of on land with their past.
There’s a scene in The Aeronauts in which Glaisher is trying to convince a body of scientists and explorers to allow him to have his own balloon. They laugh in his face and walk out as he pleads for them to hear him out. “Please, please” he clamors. This scene feels fitting for the entire movie. It begs you to hear it out! This is a film about early exploration of the sky above us for goodness sake! Unfortunately, outside of its outstanding visuals, it doesn’t have much to say.
Rating: D+
