Solaris (2002)

November 10, 2022 1:41 PM

A troubled psychologist is sent to investigate the crew of an isolated research station orbiting a bizarre planet.

Based on the novel by Stanislaw Lem. Starring George Clooney, Viola Davis, Natascha McElhone, Jeremy Davis.

The third adaptation of the novel, the first being a two-part television play aired in the Soviet Union in 1968, and a film in 1972.

Roger Ebert review

posted by nubs (8 comments total)

A movie where I loved the book, but was left feeling a little meh by this adaptation of it.
posted by nubs at 1:54 PM on November 10, 2022

Have you seen the 1972 version by Tarkovsky? Slower, more deliberate, but better, I think.

Anywho, $5 more for MeFi! More info here.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:59 PM on November 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

Have you seen the 1972 version by Tarkovsky? Slower, more deliberate, but better, I think.

I haven't, but keep meaning to track it down. This one felt like it Americanized the story a bit too much, so I suspect I would prefer the other.
posted by nubs at 2:02 PM on November 10, 2022

I've seen both but not for a while. Soderbergh's is much more about the emotional consequences of confronting an entity like Solaris, which is sort of refreshing for an SF movie.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 2:21 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

The other Solaris is on Freevee (Amazon's free video service) as well as HBO Max.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:24 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

I actually really like this movie. I like the Tarkovsky version, too. They approach the story from different angles, but I appreciated that; it's a complicated book.
posted by kyrademon at 5:21 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

it's a complicated book.

Yeah. Loved the book. From what I remember of the movie, it captured the book about as well as a major US studio would be willing to do. The soundtrack is absolutely amazing and I keep intending to buy it but always end up with a roadblock of some sort.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 10:30 AM on November 11, 2022

Just rewatched this on HBOMax and loved it. Soderbergh's really at peak form here; his direction, cinematography and editing are astoundingly good.
posted by octothorpe at 7:13 AM on November 25, 2022