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 (9 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

Old post, but I just watched this after reading the book for our neighborhood book club.

One thing that really struck me about the movie was that they just chop off half the book. Solaris is just a weird planet, no more needs to be said. Sentient ocean? Pfft, who needs it?

I did really enjoy it on its own terms, though, and am looking forward to checking out the 1972 version to compare.
posted by chazlarson at 11:04 AM on June 22, 2023