The Aeronauts: An Epic That Never Takes Off
Amazon's epic adventure The Aeronauts follows the true story based on historic figures and events. in 1862 England. The film follows two hot air balloonists, a scientist (Eddie Redmayne) and his pilot (Felicity Jones), as they go on a journey to break the altitude record of 23,000 feet. The film visually reaches new heights but feels indecisive in what it hopes to communicate to audiences.
Felicity's fictional Amelia Wren is inspired by many real-life female aeronauts. Her made up role seems to feed into the trend of female narratives. In the original story Glaisher was accompanied by a male pilot but the film changes it to get for female representation that feels wasted and underdeveloped. She is a confident pilot who used to have a popular aeronaut show with her husband who died. She is still mourning his death but gives a show to the people funding the journey.
Her partner is James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne), a meteorologist , who wants to get funding for his research in weather patterns. He believes that weather can be predicted while those around him doubt his theory. Wren works to prove that she belongs in the balloon while Glaisher works to demonstrate the potential of weather predictions. The story works to dramatize Glaisher's ambition as viewers know that his theories will be proven. His onscreen time is spent checking thermometers in the air. Wren and Glaisher constantly argue in the balloon as they continue to ride higher while the air gets thinner.
Redmayne and Jones are reunited and their roles ad chemistry are drastically different from their previous film The Theory of Everything. They once played lovers in breathtaking performances and are now complete opposites who only yell and get in the way of one another. There is an extremely predictable clash of personalities between the two that starts immediately in the film. Glaisher spends his time checking the technology and equipment while Wren applies rogue to her cheeks. Between all the yelling the film flashes back to their lives before they meet providing details on how the world is against them.
Despite the choppy script and the slow burn of the plot the film is visually beautiful. The film was intended for IMAX with its large-format cameras. The strongest part of this film is its cinematography especially when the characters break through the cloud layer and are met with the white light. It beautifully communicates the change in temperature and that the characters have entered the beginning of the slight drama of the movie.
There is a dramatic shift in tone as a disaster is thrown at them. Wren steps up and shows herself as a hero in action and their bickering dies down. These shift is the first feel of urgency in the film and provides thrill. It becomes engaging as Wren and Glaisher are starved for oxygen as the balloon continues to rise. The characters switch personalities in this sequence as Glaisher becomes more adventurous and Wren is anxious. The camera work begins to fade to communicate the delusion they have entered from their continuation to go higher as demanded by Glaisher's desire for fame. Once they overcome the anxiety-filled sequence the film returns to its slow burn. It feels superficial and bland.