Monte Light’s Space follows a crew of terraformers as they navigate the vastness of space. As the crew of the Udo spacecraft enter an extended communication blackout with Earth, they encounter problems that leave them stranded with not enough fuel to return home.

The film opens with a live broadcast from Dr. Ada Gray (Lara Jean Sullivan) onboard the Udo. Over the course of the live stream, she answers questions from viewers about life in space. Ticker tape along the bottom of the screen contextualizes the film with news briefs. Many of the worries that currently affect society—including global warming, declining fossil fuels, threats of global warfare—have been exacerbated thirty years in the future. Amid this chaos, Dr. Gray and her crew embark on a terraforming mission with a nano-byte prototype.

One of the questions she is asked is whether it is lonely out of space. The question catches her off guard and she can only respond with silence. This short prologue attempts to set the tone for the rest of the film.

The Udo’s crew members are memorable for their distinct personalities. The hothead known as Mitch “the Bitch” (Justin Michael Terry) produces a few laughs at the crew’s nickname for him. And Jim Hilton’s portrayal of veteran Tom “Tomcat” McMahon elicits empathy through his tough-loving personality, memorable colloquialisms, and love of folk and country music. (Hilton even performs a rendition of Stephen Foster’s “Beautiful Dreamer” in a flashback sequence and also wrote a song for the film.)

Space possesses a charm that most independent features lack; it feels at home with its low-budget origins. The cinematography also gives the impression that viewers are witnessing events from the ship’s recorded video log. From its set design to its palette of primary colors, Light’s film recalls similar efforts from the 1960s and ’70s, such as John Carpenter’s Dark Star. Use of occasional split-screen as the crew communicates with each other also reminds the viewer of early Brian De Palma features.

Despite the overall likable cast, Space is not without its flaws. Pacing and editing is uneven throughout. The staging and editing of early scenes appear nearly haphazard and almost derail the seriousness of the narrative. Only around its halfway point does the film seem to find its equilibrium. In addition, the script feels as if it may have been better suited for a short film. Some scenes feel like they have been added to pad the runtime. For example, a scene where a sexually frustrated Dr. Ada Gray turns her back to one of the ship’s cameras to masturbate for an extended period of time feels unnecessary. In addition, a video chat between one crew member where he must say goodbye to his wife’s cat before the communication window closes is slightly humorous but awkward. The special effects cannot be faulted, however, given the film’s budget.

What sets Space apart from other indie science fiction films is the casting. Even with the aforementioned problems, the cast’s commitment to the material brings emotional weight to the narrative and ultimately saves the film.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars