Technical Tale Lacks Story To Back It Up

by Jason R. Hewlett

I've complained in the past about movies being more style than substance but what we've got in the case of the new sci-fi/thriller "The Astronauts Wife" is a case of more style and boring substance. What writer/director Rand Ravich does in 90 long minutes Chris Carter and his "X-Files" team do better in 60 minutes.

The plot is simply a study in paranoia. Charleze Theron plays the title character of the story, whose husband (Johnny Depp) suffers a near death experience in outer space during a 2 minute period where N.A.S.A. loses contact with him and his crew. Once back on earth he quits the space program and takes a job co-designing a new hi-tech war plane capable of shutting down any military weapon. Slowly but surely Theron begins to suspect that her husband may not be human and that the twins she is carrying inside of her aren't either. Everything ends in a very weak conclusion that generates more yawns than gasps of shock.

The film looks great and Ravich has a firm grasp of the technical field. He also gets solid performances out of his cast, particularly the always exceptional Joe Morton as the N.A.S.A. employee who spurs on Theron's fears. The only person who seems a little out of place is Depp. He's a great actor and does good work here but he isn't the right man for the part. He comes on creepy and out of place right from the start so it's no surprise that he would be a host for a being from another world.

Actually, I don't even have a problem with Ravich's writing. It's a well put together script. It's just too bad he didn't try to write something new and fresh and exciting. The alien invasion phase has run its' course. Time for something different!

3 out of 10!