One of the oddest films I watched was during
august of 2014, the movie was called “Solaris”, and was directed by Andrei
Tarkovsky.
“Solaris” is a Russian science fiction movie
that deals with the nature of humanity and its place in the universe. The main
plot of the movie takes place aboard a space station that is orbiting the
fictional planet Solaris, the crew of the space platform eventually succumb to
madness and begin to see “benign” hallucinations that typically involve their
long deceased loved ones. The crew, unable to cope with the stress and other
intense emotions, begin to commit suicide.
The main protagonist, Psychologist Kris Kelvin,
is sent to the space station to assess the situation, run physiological tests
and help find the missing scientists. Kris Kelvin choice to travel to the space
station during the last days of life of his father, weighs heavily upon
Kelvin's conscience. Upon arriving on the space station, he is greeted by one
of the three surviving members and soon learns that his friend, Dr. Gibarian,
committed suicide.
During his stay aboard the space station, he
begins to see hallucinations of long deceased loved ones and after sleeping for
about 5 hours, he finds himself accompanied by his wife, Hari, who died two
years ago, by committing suicide. He panics and launches his late wife to
space, being wounded in the process.
While his wounds are being healed, one of the scientists explains to
Kris that the “visitors” began to appear after they attracted the attention of
the planet “Solaris” a sentient entity. Hari reappears soon after, and Kelvin
accepts her presence.
Later, the two remaining scientists and Kelvin,
meet and begin to theorize about the “visitors” and their connection to
“Solaris”, soon they determine that they must kill the sentient planet and
begin to make plans. During the debate they try to convince “Hari” that “she”
is not human, causing her to commit suicide by drinking poison, only to
resurrect moments later.
Hari soon realizes that she is indeed not human
and begs to be killed. The scientists utilize Kelvin brainwaves and use them to
control and influence the planet. On the surface of “Solaris” islands begin to
form. Kris debates whatever to return to earth or go to the planet’s surface,
to reconnect with everything he has lost. In the final scene of the movie, Kris
is seen running to his father’s home, embracing him and his family, in an
island of the surface of Solaris, finding peace and happiness at last.
The cast of the movie is the following:
Natalya Bondarchuk (Hari)
Donatas Banionis (Kris Kelvin)
Jüri Järvet (Dr Snaut)
Vladislav Dvorzhetsky (Henri Berton)
Nikolai Grinko (Kelvin's father)
Anatoly Solonitsyn (Dr Sartorius)
I heavily recommend this movie, mostly because
I consider it the pinnacle of Russian Science fiction. Although of slow pace,
the film raises many questions about humanity and other philosophical questions
that concern man’s nature, happiness and the nature of life.
