Space Sweepers (2021)

Space Sweepers (2021)

7/10

Starring

Song Joong-ki

Kim Tae-ri

Jin Seon-kyu

Yoo Hae-jin

Directed by Jo Sung-hee

Space Sweepers is a totally entertaining film—over two hours long, but so intense that you won’t even notice the time passing. The acting and the whole concept of the movie aren’t things you see every day. I really like how the film takes all the cool futuristic ideas from other movies and combines them with one of the most common themes in popular space films: humans moving to Mars.

The acting is unique, with a cast that brings together talents from all over. The way the movie blends these actors is something you have to see for yourself to fully appreciate.

Then there are the effects—absolutely stunning. They hit you from every angle, dripping with class on your screen. The space chase scenes are on a whole other level, something I don’t think any other movie has pulled off in a while. The intensity of the action is so gripping that it pulls you right in. The movie feels like a book; as it unfolds, new layers are revealed, characters come and go, and you’re left wondering how it will all tie together. I remember seeing a character and wondering what major role they’d play, only for them to disappear later.

Space Sweepers is a South Korean space opera set in the year 2092, where Earth has become almost uninhabitable. A corporation has built a new orbiting home for humanity, with plans to turn Mars into the new Earth. However, only a chosen few get to live in this orbiting home, handpicked by the company’s CEO, James Sullivan.

Everyone else—those who haven’t been selected or can’t afford to live in the new habitat—are left on Earth. Many have turned to scavenging space debris for survival. These scavengers, known as Space Sweepers, collect remnants of satellites and other space junk to sell for money. The work is intense, as they pilot their spaceships to capture the largest debris they can find, all while dealing with crushing taxes and exploitative loans with outrageous interest rates.

The story focuses on the crew of the spaceship Victory, which includes Kim Tae-ho, Tiger Park, and Bubs (an android), led by Captain Jang. There’s something sinister about James Sullivan, who is searching for a young girl while spreading negative stories about her. That girl, oddly enough, ends up on the Victory. The crew is shocked by their discovery, and even more so when they learn she is wanted by a terrorist group called the Black Fox. Hoping to make a quick fortune, they decide to sell the child for two million dollars. However, the deal doesn’t go as planned, and the crew finds themselves on the run with the little girl—who, to their surprise, begins to grow on them.

The movie seems like it cost a fortune to make, but it was created for less than $22 million. What I took away from this film is that you don’t need to spend over $100 million to create an eye-popping masterpiece.