I want to start by saying that I’ve been a massive fan of Flying Lotus, also known as Steven Ellison, and his music since 2007’s Reset. I remember hearing the hypnotic beats from ‘Tea Leaf Dancers’ on an Adult Swim promo and became hooked. So, naturally, I was excited when the trailer for Ash dropped online from the music producer turned director. The preview showcased a heavily inspired sci-fi Cronenberg-esque style horror mixed with 2001: A Space Odyssey that oozed with promises of stunning visuals and a hell of a sophomore entry from FlyLo.
Upon viewing, I saw a fantastic display of colors, creatures, set design, and thought-out cinematography on an eye-gasming level. However, I also saw a script by Jonni Remmler that lacked engagement so severely that it almost put me to sleep.
Ash, written by Remmler and directed by Flying Lotus, follows astronaut Riya, played by Eiza González. Riya wakes up on a space station, settled on a distant planet, and discovers that her entire crew is dead. The space explorer has no memory of previous events but is plagued with horrific events that might have occurred. It’s when Brion, played by Aaron Paul, that everything begins to unravel, and a whole heap of “what da f**k” starts to happen.
The movie’s main selling point is Flying Lotus’s skill as a director. Lotus has one previous feature film, but the Ash shows that the man has evolved by leaps and bounds. The director and cinematographer, Richard Bluck, worked in tangent to exhibit the planet’s correct type of beauty and gorgeous cosmic designs. There were several times when I was in awe of what I saw, and it gave me a psychedelic trip minus the LSD.
There are many points in Ash when Lotus lets the atmosphere speak for itself and conveys the levels of insanity Riya must travel to find the truth. It didn’t stop there because the director continued using his expert grotesque filmmaking skills to amplify the horror. Ash holds a high place in the cosmic horror genre. The monster designs were memorable and impressive to see. That tact and the innovative look of the space suits help elevate the movie’s overall feel.
Though some of the film is worth watching, it’s the overall story that could’ve used a lot of work. The mystery of finding out what happened to Riya and her crew is enough to get the plot started but not enough to keep it moving.
There were long stretches in Ash where nothing much was happening, and the movie had Riya running in circles. Those parts caused me to lose interest and further dampened the pacing, making certain plot revelations borderline apathetic. I found myself dreading after realizing another forty minutes were left in the movie, and I almost wanted to give up. All that culminated in the big reveal not landing, making the underlying message nearly laughable.
Although Ash is worth seeing for the visuals, be aware that the plot isn’t up to snuff. Much of the camera work from Flying Lotus shows that the man is an extraordinary filmmaker with a vision that will open doors for him. I am dying to see what Lotus can do with a bigger budget and another team-up with Bluck. Just make sure FlyLo is given a better script that’ll mix well with the type of passion he’s bringing to the table.