Solaris

I recently read the book Solaris from Stanislav Lem which was recommended to me by a friend. I read the book and I liked it. I liked it because of Lems very detailed description of the forms which Solaris creates and the accidents which happened there. I really must say that this 'scientific' descriptions of the happenings there were quite interesting and at some parts scaring. After I read the book I found out that there was a movie about this book and - because I really wanted to see those forms, the surface of Solaris and to compare them to those in my imagination - I watched it. But I the movie heavily disappointed me. Only about 10% of this movie represent the book. The rest is absolutely different. Different characters, different names and different storyline. Sorry, but this movie should not be allowed to be called Solaris. Read the book if you want some Science-Fiction. Watch the movie if you want a twisted Romance.

The original Russian Solaris (1972) was great, If i add it is one of the best sci-fi films of all times. But remake was awful. Storytelling, screenplay even the plot isn't clear in this film. If you reading this i would recommend to watch the original film it is waste of time.

I love the performances in this film. The film takes you on a somber ride of love and loss. Clooney plays a doctor who has lost his wife. Spiraling in sorrow he takes a job flying to a mysterious planet called Solaris. Clooney is a shrink and it seems that the crew near Solaris have some mental issues. Upon his arrival he discovers that his friend who had asked him to come committed suicide and what's left of the crew aren't the cabin buddies you would want. Soon we find out why. It seems that Solaris can make the dead live again. Each character is met with a deceased loved one. Clooney's backstory is shown in timely flashbacks as we meet his "wife". This haunting story is a great sci fi drama with plenty of chills.

I read some terrible reviews for this film, and the fact that I don't think much of George Clooney as an actor, my hopes were very low. Yes, if you want princesses aliens and comic book heroes give this a miss, if however you're wanting an intelligent film looking at human emotions and the afterlife you might enjoy this movie. PS. Still don't rate Clooney as an actor though.

Simply put, this was the worst movie I have ever seen. I usually like George Clooney and cannot imagine why he took this role. There was nothing stimulating about this movie. The 3 other people and myself all were struggling to stay awake. This movie was the most boring, non-thought provoking movie I have ever seen. There was nothing to make this movie worth watching. The best part of the movie was when I was expecting there to be another hour for sure, the movie ended. I was so happy that I was finally able to leave the theater! There were about 30 other people in the theater and you could hear everyone commenting on how horrible this film was. Please, save yourself the lost time in your life and DO NOT see this movie.

Unfortunately this version of Solaris focuses on the actors and the process, not on the characters and story. No matter how charming the actors may be, no matter how well crafted the sets and lighting, a movie is entertaining because of the characters and how they embody the story. What happened? Solaris failed to grip the attention of the audience because while the audience came to the preview to see George Clooney (in some mode of undress, it should be noted) they left disappointed because they saw him, but without the role and story to put him into context, thus falling short of cleanly telling a story.

This film is just pathetic. Yet again Hollywood attempts to remake something that just cannot, CANNOT be remade. I feel so sorry for George, I have no idea why he even took the project, he's not hard up for money and generally he's got good taste in scripts. Maybe he was on a profile-building frenzy at the time? The original, real Solaris has a lot of artistic padding in it, and the real SF action doesn't start going until well into the second half. That's Tarkovsky, he was always style over substance. But man once the original bites into the substance, it gets there. That stuff stays with you. I still shiver, unable to forget a certain tinkling glass sound... This film just has ... nothing. It's empty and cardboard.

This movie was quite good. It's editing style was unique in many ways and the atmosphere embodied the melancholy I imagine one must feel when stuck on a space going vessel alone. Its a movie that is saturated in nostalgia from which it draws most of its powers, memories of lost love back on earth. The movie renders the emotional juxtaposition between the living and the dead and the loved and the lost. Its nowhere near as psychologically or politically profound as the original film, as a stand alone movie it is quite enjoyable just the same.

Saw Solaris (2002) last night with my wife and teen children...thought it was okay a kind of twilight zone version of the Solarys (1972) I saw many years ago. It's not that there's anything wrong with it, it just isn't ambitious enough to compare to the original. (this lack of ambition is, I find, a very common failing in almost all of our country's art/entertainment.) All is not lost, though! Just as I feel one should always see the movie and then read the source material in order to savor the deeper experience that comes with the written word, you can always rent and watch the earlier version if you liked this film for a much more rewarding experience. My children actually asked me to rent it for them because they were so curious... the most positive response I could ever have hoped for.