Ash: A Visually Stunning Sci-Fi Letdown With Zero Emotional Impact

I can see the vision behind this film, but the execution lacks in almost every way. It clearly aims to be a stylish sci-fi thriller—but what we end up with is essentially a knockoff of Alien, stripped of any originality, emotional weight, or tension. The script is weak, the characters are flat, and the performances don’t do anything to elevate the material.

To be fair, the visuals are the strongest part of the film. The cinematography is genuinely impressive, and the color grading creates a distinct, atmospheric tone that’s hard to ignore. Combined with the hypnotic and beautifully crafted soundtrack by Flying Lotus, the film manages to set a captivating mood. For a moment, it feels like you're about to watch something great. Unfortunately, that moment never fully arrives.

The story itself is extremely cliché. It follows a predictable path, filled with tired tropes and uninspired dialogue. Worst of all, there's no connection to the characters. You don't learn enough about them to care whether they live or die, which completely drains the tension from scenes that are supposed to be suspenseful or emotional.

Eiza González’s performance is one of the weakest aspects. She seems out of place in nearly every scene and struggles to bring depth to her character. Even Aaron Paul, who usually brings intensity and nuance to his roles, seems underutilized and unable to rise above the poor writing and shallow characterization.

By the end, the film feels like a high-budget streaming movie that had all the tools to be something compelling—but didn’t know how to use them. It’s visually impressive and sonically rich, but the storytelling is so lackluster that it becomes difficult to stay invested.

This is one of those films that looks amazing on the surface, but once you get past the aesthetic, there’s really not much there. A wasted opportunity with a lot of potential but very little payoff.