Slingshot (2024)

Plot of Slingshot: The Odyssey 1 is a spacecraft on its way to Titan, one of the moons of Saturn. It has a three man crew, John, Captain  Franks and Nash who are required to hibernate  for successive 90 day periods. During a period of wakefulness John is laid out by a falling panel and it is found that the craft has sustained damage due to an impact, but its integrity is not compromised. However, the damage makes Nash wish to abort the mission, and he cites a disaster in the arctic where the members of the expedition died, possibly shot by the leader. However, Franks, the captain, convinces them to press on and they collectively carry out a slingshot round Jupiter. Meanwhile in flashback we see that John has developed a relationship with Zoe, a female executive in the space company. Now during the second year of the voyage John continues to have problems with the hibernation chemicals and it is accepted that they may cause hallucinations, and problems with the craft continue; comms with Houston are lost and John has seen Captain Franks attacking Nash, but is any of it true? And what about his memories of Zoe?

Content: Some implied sex but no nudity in flashback. Some drinking since Franks has a hip flask of hooch with him. In the present John awakes from hibernation, more distressed every time. The guys get together to carry out the slingshot operating thrusters etc. Nash attempts to influence John to help him abort the mission. In flashback we see how John met Zoe, and at one point a lecture being given by Zoe as to what the intent of the mission is, and what is required in order for the craft to return to earth, and what Titan is like. At time it appears that Joh may actually be the sole crew member, and that the other guys are hallucinations. After all he also sees Zoe on the ship, an impossibility.

A View: People did not like this movie much and it made very little money. Just as well it had not cost too much to make. The presentation is just a bit tricky in order to mislead the viewer, and of course we know that slingshots are achieved by directing the course of the space craft. No intervention is required by the crew, if there is one. And honestly, as Zoe describes the intent of the mission, to a moon where apparently there are rivers of liquid methane, which earth needs, it just seems completely loony. But even so I still quite enjoyed it. It kept me metaphorically on the edge of my seat. So not a waste of time if you have a couple of hours to spare, and enjoy a bit of SF.

Fun Fact: Writer Nathan Parker is known for penning the Duncan Jones film ‘Moon’ back in 2009.