Sputnik Movie Review – Book and Film Globe

In my first time going to the movies in many months, I was very excited to see Sputnik, especially considering that I love the genre of horror. I walked into the dimly-lit theater. There were only two bored-looking employees standing around, one teenager and one older woman. There wasnt a single other person inside the lobby. I bought my ticket at the concession stand, and went into the theater with my friend. I saw one person sitting in the back, but other than that it was completely empty. It was a very good setting for a horror movie.

Sputnik is a Russian horror film by debut feature director Egor Abramenko. It delivers excellent suspense and a plot that worth following. It runs a little under two hours, the perfect length for a movie in its genre.

The location makes this movie unique. It takes place in Soviet Kazakhstan in 1983. A Russian astronaut returns to Earth from space, but he doesnt come alone. He brings a strange alien parasite with him. The government tasks a disgraced doctor, Tatyana, played by Oksana Akinshina, with finding out more about the strange alien. It was interesting watching a horror film that takes place in the Soviet Union, which seems long ago and far away to me. The director has lit Sputnik darkly, as appropriate to the movies grim tone, kind of like the HBO miniseries Chernobyl, but with an alien. The majority of the movie takes place inside an underground military bunker, giving a claustrophobic feel that adds to the suspense and makes the alien much more menacing.

SPUTNIK (4/5 stars)Directed by: Egor AmbramenkoWritten by: Oleg Malovichko,Andrei ZolotarevStarring: Oksana Akinshina,Fedor Bondarchuk,Pyotr FyodorovRunning time: 113 min

Never for a second did I find myself bored while watching Sputnik. I wouldnt call it a masterpiece, but it delivered the experience and entertainment I usually expect whenever I go to the movies. The monster was the best part. It was creepy and eerie, mixing very well with the gritty old-school Russian vibe.

The movie touches on human nature and the moral choices people have to make when it comes to life and death. It puts the characters in perilous situations where no answer seems like the right answer, leaving you wanting to know what happens next, and keeping the audience engaged. There were some good action sequences that mixed very well with the tone of the rest of the movie. Overall, Sputnik was a thrilling Sci-fi horror film that felt authentic, especially because I saw it in a dark, scary movie theater in the middle of a pandemic.

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Sputnik Movie Review - Book and Film Globe