Ash
This reexamination was originally published on March 14 , 2025 , as a part of our SXSW Film & TV Festival coverage .
Ashis unsettling , I ’ll give it that much . Flying Lotus , who direct the film , knows how to set the tone for what ’s to come and I was instantly drawn into the mystery . Visually , the film is wondrous yet creepy-crawly and Eiza Gonzalez and Aaron Paul are strong performing artist . Unfortunately , this is a situation where the script from Jonny Remmler does n’t move up far beyond its challenging premise , favoring the mystery over its characters .
When we ’re first introduced to Riya ( Eiza González ) , she ’s freshly awakened after being criticise unconscious by something — or someone — she does n’t commend . As she walk around the starship where she and her fellow astronauts took residence , she ’s met with their horrifyingly mutilated dead eubstance . How they died is a mystery as Riya struggles to think back . When she pace out of doors , the planet they ’ve landed on is beautiful and ominous to her optic . She figure someone from afar mimicking her cause , and she ’s shocked to fulfil Brion ( Aaron Paul ) when she yield to the ship , who helps her piece together the memories she ’s lost .
Ash Builds Intensity Through Its Visual Language
Ashis a visually glorious film that is intoxicating to appear at . The film producer grow the location into a haunting place filled with dread and you ca n’t assist but sense like you ’re quick to jump at every box Riya turns , suspicious of everything and terrified of what she might amount up against . This creates tension and Riya ’s computer memory loss only adds to the feelings of disconcertment . We ’re never sure who to bank , and that includes Riya .
Patterson love how to jell up the storyline and the payoff that will come in the second half & translate the journey to get there is half the playfulness .
Glimpses into Riya ’s memories as they crop up only give us half the tale asAshbuilds towards an volatile ending that is distress as much as it is horrific . These aspect of the story maintain intrigue and fire the intensity of the film , though the final act feels as though it has a couple of false endings before settling on one that adhere . Richard Bluck ’s filming , paired with Bryan Shaw ’s redaction and Flying Lotus ’ account work in tandem to create a profoundly unsettling atmosphere .
Ash’s Characters Are Left Stranded
But Eiza González’s Performance Anchors The Film
I only like the film ’s fiber workplace was as inviolable as its visual words . The one - fix setting works for a meter , but it finally feels like a drawback for Riya . As the central character , Eiza González delivers a solid performance laced with fear , resolve , and apprehensiveness . You ca n’t help but concern about her . When Riya discovers fresh information that vary her individuality perception , González like an expert shifts between a myriad of emotions as she faces Brion . Aaron Paul is also very good , and his reaction to Riya become more wary as the film goes on , fix for an enlist moral force between them .
persona were given one - note characterisation so that when we learned how they died , I mat up very little about them or their connection with Riya .
Despite great performances , Ashleaves its characters by the wayside in favor of keeping the mystery story alive . Even that begins to peter out after a while . flashback to the rest of the crew , include Beulah Koale ’s Kevin , do n’t do much to establish the relationships Riya had with them . We ’re tell rather than shown that she and Kevin were romantically involved , step down one of the film ’s great reveals . It also removed some of the picture ’s intensity . graphic symbol were given one - note characterizations so that when we con how they die , I feel very piffling about them or their connectedness with Riya .
On the mysterious planet Ash, Riya awakens to find her crew slaughtered. When Brion arrives to rescue her, they face an ordeal of psychological and physical terror, grappling with trust and survival.
Ashhas highschool and Sir David Alexander Cecil Low . Its tenseness can dwarf its thin fiber development . To keep the mystery going , the film had to keep us at arm ’s distance . At the same clip , the film ’s lack of character - building removed some of the investment I had for what happens next — to Riya and the charge . Ashcan be horrific and really startling ; there ’s a specific scene near the end that underscores the apprehension that permeates the film . It ’s chilling and memorable . And yet , had the sci - fi thriller give way its characters more dimension , it would have been all the stronger .
Ashpremiered at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival .
On the mysterious planet Ash , Riya awakens to find her crew slaughtered . When Brion make it to deliver her , they face an ordeal of psychological and physical terror , make do with trust and survival .
