| Originally called Distant, re-titled to Long Distance after finally getting released, is a sci-fi comedy/action/drama with famous people in front of and behind the camera, and one long weird and circuitous route to actually getting onto people’s screens. This was a 2020 COVID production with a screenplay by relatively new writer Spenser Cohen grabbing the attention of Hollywood directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck, who have multiple big studio comedies under their belt. Off to Hungary they go to film this small indie. | | 2024
Directed by: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
Screenplay by: Spenser Cohen
Starring: Anthony Ramos, Naomi Scott
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Andy (Anthony Ramirez), who at this point resembles an astronaut but is technically an ‘asteroid miner’ in this futuristic sci-fi, has crash landed on this unknown planet or some other surface in outerspace. While it does start weird with limited knowledge, Andy’s need for help is clear and the first act of the movie does drop enough comments to piece together what we need to know about this future. There were many people on this spaceship run by some big rich corporation, Andy is lower tier but with his functioning technology – a computer called Leonard – he’s able to connect with fellow survivors. But he still has to get his way to them.
The middle act of the movie is Andy and Naomi (Naomi Scott) both figuring out via their voice-operated Leonards, that if Andy can get to Naomi before he loses oxygen, then they can work together to find a way home. While most of this part of the movie involves Andy navigating weird terrain and avoiding aliens, it’s actually mostly comedy and dialogue-heavy. Lots of quips back and forth while Andy and Naomi are getting to know each other. There’s nothing hilarious or even memorable here but the comedy does help keep the film moving.
The final third of the movie turns into more a pure action sci-fi. New weapons are found, more aliens are encountered, lots of fighting gross and gooey creatures. I’m not sure why so many sci-fi movies insist that aliens are gooey things with their insides dripping out of them.
Overall, especially at the beginning, the setting is pretty inventive, but by the end everything seems recycled from older more famous sci fi classics and really concentrating on the gross factor.
I have no clue how it took them four years to get this released, and overseas first before coming stateside; it is independent but no glaring production issues. This genre is not my thing and it especially gets tiring and unoriginal by the end, but for sci fi fans, this should be a fun, easy watch.
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