With so much bad news about the dangers of climate change and the global spreading of Covid-19, The Midnight Sky seems like a prophecy of what might happen to the world in about 25 years from now. The movie posits that some kind of tragedy has made Earth inhabitable then. Our only hope? Find another planet. Luckily, a space station has already been set up for just that, and the crew is waiting to return to report on their mission.

The entire plot of this movie revolves around the efforts of an elderly space professor, played by George Clooney, who wants to get in touch with the crew to warn them not to return home. Clooney’s grizzled character has made it through a terrible snow storm and icy terrain with a mysterious youngster (Caoilinn Springall), and they find a deserted location where the equipment to make contact with the space station is located. I breathed a sigh of relief when this desperate duo finally found some kind of shelter!

Various scenes with the crew in space are also included -- both inside and outside their station. The interactions among the crew members evoke our empathy because the actors make them appear so real. Felicity Jones, Kyle Chandler, Demian Birchir, David Oyelowo and Tiffany Boone deliver excellent performances here. Also, the stunning visual effects outside the station give us a sense of “being there” which adds to the suspense.                        

What happens when our planet dies?

We must look up for other skies.

“The Midnight Sky” takes place in space

and in a lonely icy place.

A man is trying to contact

and tell a space crew “Don’t come back.”

George Clooney not so Cloonyish

but just the actor you would wish.

His competition? Big surprise!

A little girl with great big eyes.

Worth seeing because of these two,

plus for visual effects and crew.

It’s interesting to see Clooney, who also directed The Midnight Sky, playing a much older character than we are used to seeing him do on screen. He gets most of the close-ups, and he’s definitely ready for them. His expressive facial reactions to each crucial situation are quite impressive. I especially enjoyed watching his character’s growing relationship with the darling young child he takes under his wing. And Caoilinn Springall is a real find. I loved her – and so will you.     

 While The Midnight Sky is no Gravity, I recommend it for fans of George Clooney and science fantasy.    

(Released by Netflix and rated “PG-13” for some bloody images and brief strong language.)