★★★
Pilot Amelia Wren and scientist James Glaisher find themselves in an epic fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a gas balloon.
Classification: PG
Never really taking off, Tom Harper's historical adventure is disjointed by a frustrating story structure and focus on spectacle over character. While anchored by two tremendous performers, both Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones feel underused as the script has their character development go for the most obvious routes. With splitting the aerial expedition with unnecessary flashbacks for that development which hampers the grandiose nature of the journey and undercuts the isolation the characters experience. It's all about why these two characters joined forces and sought to make meteorological discoveries for weather prediction but there's no real intrigue since we already know they make the journey. A lot of The Aeronauts fills like filler because the filmmakers didn't have enough faith in having the whole film in the balloon.
Which is a shame because the moment Jones' Amelia Wren and Redmayne's James Glaisher ascend into the clouds the film becomes this engaging exploration of the harsh unknown and their own insecurities. It's clear what the character's histories are even without the flashbacks and Harper and editor Mark Eckersley miss the opportunity to create a unique atmosphere for the audience, to trap the audience in that same balloon. Glaisher is driven by an insatiable desire to prove his doubters including his own father wrong about his research whereas Wren faces guilt and trauma over her previous disasters balloon expedition that ended in tragedy. Logic and emotion clash within the basket and the self-doubt over their respective expertise forces both characters into life-threatening situations. Reuniting Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne is tremendous and their chemistry doesn't miss a beat as their characters play off each other perfectly. It's a very similar dynamic to The Theory of Everything with Redmayne as the obsessive scientist and Jones as his strong-willed artistic counterpart, the film playing their mutual stubbornness against each other. These attitudes of pride, fear and selfishness only exacerbate as the oxygen levels thin with every new stride of their journey.
The visual expedition that Harper and cinematographer George Steel take the audience on like the film is both wonderous and frustrating. Many shots consist of the familiar vista of a wide shot showing the small balloon against the vast terrain of clouds, capturing that feeling of solitude. It's easy to feel the danger and height whenever Felicity Jones swings onto one of the ropes or netting to climb or make an adjustment or when the temperatures drop and every surface becomes encrusted with frost and ice. The Aeronauts is at its most vertigo-inducing in the calm when the balloon is serene in the skies, the sequence of Wren having to scale the frozen balloon being the most heart-racing, the silence making every sound of struggle more nauseating. This is when the film feels dangerous, not during storms or high winds where the camera is shaking and has the characters flying about. It's difficult to discern what is happening as the scenes are creating more confusion than tension. Although no matter if the weather is calm or thunderous, the visual effects to The Aeronauts are exquisite, easily creating the sense that both the characters and the audience are thousands of feet high in the atmosphere. Beauty and danger combined by the strange feeling of the familiar but uncharted nature to the sky.
Harper feels that just being in this balloon is not enough and that flashbacks are needed to keep the pacing of the film fresh and not to let the audience get bored. In actuality, the flashbacks just feel like The Aeronauts attempt to be The Theory of Everything and make the film a more traditional biopic. Scenes of Redmayne and Jones meeting and dancing at a party, scenes of older scientists doubting Redmayne's work, scenes of Jones being angry at Redmayne, and a scene of Jones throwing a dog out of a hot air balloon. Okay, that last one is exclusive to The Aeronauts but the rest feels eerily familiar and not as well done, the film wants to play up this connection but seems to do so in the most cynical way. The flashbacks again essentially spoonfeed the audience the basic motivations for the characters, but the dialogue between Redmayne and Jones in the balloon also easily establishes their history. It all feels counterintuitive and while it's possible to interpret these scenes as the characters reflecting on their choices it's just not as effective as being within the balloon.
Speaking of the balloon in question, the production and costume design to The Aeronauts is superb with the tiny space having great composition and character. From the various instruments of Glaisher's hanging from the ropes to the chest of messenger pigeons, its a great location for two actors to inhabit as there is no privacy. It's both a laboratory and a living space representative of the two characters clashing personalities. Alexandra Byrne's costume design captures the Victorian style well from aristocratic tails, professorial robes and Felicity Jones variety of showmanship and explorer garb. Watching Jones clad in an oilskin leather jacket captures that adventurer aesthetic and somehow makes her ascent to the peak of the balloon even more heroic. t's probably why there are so many scenes down below just to show off this talent and to give the film more credibility as a historical drama.
However, some of that historical accuracy comes into question, while opening with the traditional disclaimer of "based on true events" The Aeronauts takes some liberties with how Glasihers expeditions unfolded. Amelia Wren being a composite character of real-life female aeronauts specifically Sophie Blanchard with the filmmakers' intention to highlight women's contributions to the field. This decision nonetheless erases from the film the actual contributions of the aeronaut who assisted with Glaisher's discoveries Henry Tracey Coxwell. It's important to highlight the roles of incredible women in history and Jones' performance will definitely inspire through her character's tenacity and bravery being the best part of the film but it still feels odd. That a film which expresses the importance of scientific discovery would then alter how these discoveries would be made.
It's a continuing issue as The Aeronauts places the spectacular over the science, with the film never really making clear what Glaisher's goals, methods or discoveries were. Sure Redmayne scribbles into a notebook after looking at a thermometer but Harper can never find the balance between all the elements. The very journey feels like a failure due to a rushed epilogue and most of the film focusing on Glaisher and Wren trying to survive the harsh conditions rather than conducting experiments. It's just hard to get invested in the danger when it's unclear why exactly it is worth the risk no matter how exhilarating it maybe when Redmayne and Jones are doing all they can to not die.
Even with its adventurous spirit, The Aeronauts feels very by the numbers, not necessarily Oscar bait but a feeling that star power alone gives the film more credibility than its earned. Redmayne and Jones are always a dynamic duo on screen but the faults in Harper's execution of the story are too noticeable to ignore. The gorgeous visuals are worth the trip into the skies but the standard character development doesn't keep the film grounded in compelling drama.
Director: #TomHarper
Release Date: November 4th 2019
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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