The Midnight Sky
An isolated Arctic scientist races to warn a returning spacecraft while an unexpected child companion reawakens his sense of responsibility amid an apparently ruined Earth.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- bleak
- contemplative
- intimate
- quiet evening
- reflective movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly recognized the film's ambition, emotional tone, and striking space imagery but found its pacing, familiar influences, and narrative logic uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
A mysterious global disaster and nuclear radiation render Earth dangerous while the Aether crew searches for a viable future.
Augustine works alone at a remote Arctic research station and must endure severe polar conditions while seeking contact with the returning spacecraft.
The film moves between Augustine and Iris at the Arctic station and Sully's crew aboard the Aether as both confront the consequences of the disaster.
The production juxtaposes vast, frozen Arctic environments with the confined technological interiors and hazardous repair work of the Aether.
Films like The Midnight Sky, and why
Interstellar
Shared post apocalyptic science fiction, space exploration, isolation, and emotionally serious survival themes.
Gravity
Shared contemplative space drama, endangered astronauts, scientific crisis, and intimate human stakes.
The Road
Shared bleak future setting, restrained science fiction atmosphere, and a guarded adult protecting a child.
Ad Astra
Shared lonely survival narrative, environmental catastrophe, and hopeful humanism within a desolate world.
Movie Details
- Director
- George Clooney
- Release Date
- 2020-12-10
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (2086)
Cast
- George Clooney
- Felicity Jones
- David Oyelowo
- Caoilinn Springall
- Kyle Chandler
- Demián Bichir
- Tiffany Boone
- Sophie Rundle
- Ethan Peck
- Tim Russ
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 The Midnight Sky about?
- An isolated Arctic scientist races to warn a returning spacecraft while an unexpected child companion reawakens his sense of responsibility amid an apparently ruined Earth.
- What is The Midnight Sky like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Midnight Sky as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Midnight Sky violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Midnight Sky as mild.
- What did critics think of The Midnight Sky?
- Critics broadly recognized the film's ambition, emotional tone, and striking space imagery but found its pacing, familiar influences, and narrative logic uneven.
- Which films are like The Midnight Sky?
- Films with a similar feel include Interstellar, Gravity, The Road, and Ad Astra.
- How long is The Midnight Sky?
- The Midnight Sky runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Midnight Sky?
- In United States, The Midnight Sky streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
