Exploring the Depths of “Ash”- A Sci-Fi Thriller by Flying Lotus
In the atmospheric realm of “Ash,”director Flying Lotus crafts a haunting sci-fi thriller that grips audiences from the outset. The film opens with Riya, played by Eiza Gonzalez, awakening to the unsettling noise of a faulty system. The room is awash in a cool neon blue, punctuated by the alarming flash of an emergency red light. Despite her blurred vision, Riya perceives the chaos around her: overturned tables, shattered glass, and the lifeless bodies of her crew. This grim tableau prompts fragmented memories of a mutiny aboard the spacecraft, leaving viewers questioning who betrayed whom and why Riya is the sole survivor.
As the story unfolds, “Ash”emphasizes atmospheric storytelling over narrative depth. Flying Lotus, who previously made his directorial debut with “Kuso,”utilizes innovative perspectives, engaging lighting, and an evocative score—composed by him—to create an engrossing experience that explores themes of amnesia and treachery. His adept use of futuristic technology is not only convincing but often injects humor into the otherwise bleak environment.
While “Ash”may fall short in its narrative clarity—characters remain poorly developed and motivations obscure—it excels in crafting a mesmerizing mood. The film exhibits a visual ambition that resonates with other groundbreaking works, such as the recent Afro-futurist musical “Neptune Frost”by Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman. As Riya navigates the desolate spacecraft, Flying Lotus expands her world through striking visual design.
Collaborating with production designer Ross McGarva, he merges mid-century modern elements with dystopian aesthetics, resulting in a spaceship interior that feels warm and inviting. This intimacy is further highlighted in a flashback scene where Riya and her team gather around a dinner table, toasting to their mission. Outside the ship, the enigmatic planet looms—a treacherous setting painted in hues reminiscent of the Northern Lights, with delicate ash raining down from above. Riya’s brief venture outside starkly reminds her of the planet’s inhospitable atmosphere, unfit for human life.
Shortly after regaining consciousness, Riya encounters Brion, portrayed by Aaron Paul, who was presumed dead. He tends to her wounds using a portable robotic surgical kit, which provides a touch of comic relief in an otherwise tense situation. As Brion questions Riya about her fragmented memories, they stumble upon the possibility that Clarke, another crew member played by Kate Elliot, might still be alive. The absence of her body raises suspicions, hinting that she may hold the key to unraveling the destruction surrounding them.
United by the quest to locate Clarke and fulfill their interplanetary mission—whose stakes are mentioned yet remain vague—Riya and Brion’s partnership becomes increasingly fraught with tension. Cinematographer Richard Bluck complements Flying Lotus’s vision through intimate close-ups and point-of-view shots, amplifying the unsettling atmosphere as Riya’s sense of claustrophobia grows. Without her memories, her once-familiar environment transforms into a prison of ambiguity, with Gonzalez’s hesitant movements vividly illustrating her internal struggle.
However, “Ash”struggles to maintain its narrative cohesion as suspicion mounts between Riya and Brion. The initial encounter lacks the tension necessary to propel the drama forward, and the stakes set by the film’s atmosphere often fail to align with the plot’s trajectory. Elements that could have tightened the film’s narrative seem overlooked, leaving “Ash”feeling as fragmented as Riya’s own recollections. Despite its rich visual storytelling, the film ultimately presents a disjointed experience, marked by the inconsistencies between its ambitious design and sometimes lackluster plot development.