Stowaway
An accidental stowaway turns a mars-bound mission into a claustrophobic test of survival, solidarity, and moral sacrifice.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- claustrophobic
- foreboding
- austere
- late night sci-fi viewing
- serious movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film thoughtful and well acted, with a compelling moral dilemma weakened by slow pacing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nearly the entire mission unfolds inside a spacecraft, making its corridors, modules, and life-support systems central to the tension.
The crew's dwindling supplies force them to weigh the accidental stowaway's life against the mission's survival.
The plot focuses on spacecraft systems, medical research, oxygen, and the practical consequences of being stranded en route to mars.
The crew is too far from earth to turn back, while a dissenting medical researcher challenges the group's grim consensus.
Films like Stowaway, and why
Gravity
shares confined spaceship survival, technical realism, escalating resource scarcity, and moral decision-making under extreme pressure
Passengers
shares claustrophobic space travel, ethical conflict, and a small group confronting life-or-death consequences far from earth
The Martian
shares realistic space-mission procedures, workplace tension, and a serious human dilemma shaped by limited resources
Sunshine
shares contained science fiction suspense, ensemble conflict, and philosophical questions about survival and sacrifice
Movie Details
- Director
- Joe Penna
- Release Date
- 2021-06-24
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (731)
Cast
- Anna Kendrick
- Toni Collette
- Daniel Dae Kim
- Shamier Anderson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Stowaway about?
- An accidental stowaway turns a mars-bound mission into a claustrophobic test of survival, solidarity, and moral sacrifice.
- What is Stowaway like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Stowaway as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Stowaway violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Stowaway.
- What did critics think of Stowaway?
- Critics generally found the film thoughtful and well acted, with a compelling moral dilemma weakened by slow pacing.
- Which films are like Stowaway?
- Films with a similar feel include Gravity, Passengers, The Martian, and Sunshine.
- How long is Stowaway?
- Stowaway runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Stowaway?
- In United States, Stowaway streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
