Last weekend I was able to watch a new space movie based on one of my favorite books, Spaceman of Bohemia. The book came out in 2017, and earlier this year Netflix distributed a movie titled Spaceman. The film stars Adam Sandler, one of my favorite actors. When I heard that this movie was coming out I couldn’t wait to see it. And I wasn’t disappointed. 

What You Need To Know 

First, I should probably mention that although this movie has Adam Sandler who is famous for his comical movies, this is a dramatic thriller. Although this may seem unfit for a comedian, especially for Sandler, I feel like Adam Sandler has proven himself fit for the drama genre, especially after movies such as Uncut Gems (2019) and Hustle (2022)

The movie is also based on a book, so I would recommend reading Spaceman of Bohemia before watching the movie.       

Premise 

Spaceman follows Czech astronaut Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler) who is alone in space, on a mission to study a strange substance just beyond the orbit of Jupiter. He misses his estranged wife and unborn child that he left behind when he decided to go on the mission. Strange events begin to happen onboard the space station, and Procházka begins to hear voices inside his head, only to discover that a spider-like creature with apparent telepathic abilities has joined him on his journey. The spider (voiced by Paul Dano) says that he wishes to help Procházka with his problems back on Earth.

Reception (By Critics And Audience)

Spaceman has received mixed reviews from critics with praise for Sandlers and Dano’s performance but criticism for the plot and pacing. According to the review aggregator website, Spaceman holds an even 50% on Rotten Tomatoes (slightly below average). Audiences have given it a more positive review, with a 75% positive score according to IMDb.

My Review 

I found the book to be better (which it always is), but Sandler's performance was excellent. Dano’s voice performance cannot be ignored either; both of the actors seem to work well together. The movie also has impressive graphics for its budget. Most good space movies need over $100 million to look realistic, however, this movie has less than half of it, coming in around $40 million. 

People give out different kinds of reviews, like stars, percentages, and grades in their reviews all of which make sense to different people. I’ve decided to give all three of those ratings to make it easier to understand. 

Stars: I give this movie 4.5 stars out of 5

Percentage: 90% positive score, would watch again 

Grade: A-

Sources: 

IMDb