Solaris (2002)

65% of critics liked it
(202 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(44,383 ratings)

A therapist travels to a distant space station to treat a group of astronauts traumatized by mysterious entities -- and ends up having to deal with an entity of his own -- in this second film version of Stanislaw Lem's philosophical sci-fi novel. Solaris stars George Clooney as Chris Kelvin, a… More A therapist travels to a distant space station to treat a group of astronauts traumatized by mysterious entities -- and ends up having to deal with an entity of his own -- in this second film version of Stanislaw Lem's philosophical sci-fi novel. Solaris stars George Clooney as Chris Kelvin, a psychologist still mourning the loss of his wife Rheya (Natascha McElhone) when he's implored by a colleague named Gibarian (Ulrich Tukur) to investigate the increasingly weird goings-on at the Prometheus space station. By the time Kelvin gets there, Gibarian has committed suicide, leaving only the cryptic, babbling Snow (Jeremy Davies) and the paranoid, guarded Gordon (Viola Davis), both of whom are holed up in their respective rooms. As Kelvin interrogates the skeleton crew, he learns that they've had unwanted "visitors," apparitions of long-dead friends, family, and loved ones who are apparently being generated by the interstellar energy source Solaris. The doctor is dubious of their claims until one night he, too, is greeted by his wife Rheya (Natascha McElhone), whose death still torments him. At first skeptical of the new Rheya, Kelvin gradually becomes obsessed with her -- and with the guilt that he feels over their troubled marriage -- to the point where the others begin to fear for his sanity. Produced by James Cameron, Solaris represented director Steven Soderbergh's first screenplay credit since the independently financed Schizopolis in 1996. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr.
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
Written By: Steven Soderbergh, Stanislav Lem
Genres: Drama, Romance, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Nov 27, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Jul 29, 2003
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Rex Reed, New York Observer
Fiasco of infuriating pretentiousness and numbing incoherence.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
I prefer Soderbergh's concentration on his two lovers over Tarkovsky's mostly male, mostly patriarchal debating societies.
Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A hushed, haunted tone poem about love and loss.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
[Soderbergh] tends to place most of the psychological and philosophical material in italics rather than trust an audience's intelligence, and he creates an overall sense of brusqueness.
David Edelstein, Slate
A solemn, splintered meditation on lost love: a movie about personal space, in space.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
It is, all at once, exhilarating, frustrating, cryptic and wise.
Sean Gandert, Paste Magazine
...it remains a fascinating work and its deep questioning of what makes us human when faced with simulacrums feels if anything more relevant today than when it was made.
Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
Steven Soderbergh prunes Andrei Tartovsky?s 1972 film (based on Stanislaw Lem?s novel) to the clarity and concision of a great short story ? a forlorn, philosophical sci-fi romance treading the terrain of "Blade Runner?s" metaphysical melancholy.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Though having little to offer with some flaws, this is a thought provoking, fascinating and heart breaking glimpse into characters that must come to grips with their past.
Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review
Steven Soderbergh's extremely sedate, Spartan science-fiction thriller and love story pits man's common sense and perceptions of a higher power against his own dreams and desires.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
It's an unusual challenge for a Hollywood film with a major star, but worth the effort.
Joe Lozito, Big Picture Big Sound
While Mr. Soderbergh's direction is always compelling, the whole film does not always equal the sum of its parts.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Scripted, shot, directed and edited by Soderbergh with his customary intelligence and assurance, this is perhaps the most ambiguous and cerebrally sophisticated Hollywood movie in nearly three decades.
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide
fascinating, despite its flaws
Michael Dequina, Film Threat
Soderbergh's Solaris is a gorgeous and deceptively minimalist cinematic tone poem.
Rick Kisonak, Film Threat
Soderbergh's latest may well leave Stanislaw Lem grumbling. My bet is virtually everyone else will be blown away.
Stuart Klawans, Nation
The images are crisp and the pacing faultless, as you'd expect with Soderbergh, and the soundtrack (with music by Cliff Martinez) is an environment in itself.
Andrew Wright, Portland Mercury
Many will justifiably find [it] a heady experience akin to 90 minutes of watching paint dry. Others will see that paint forming something close to a masterpiece.
Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
Based on Stanislaw Lem's novel and Andrei Tarkovsky's sci-fi epic, Soderbergh's Solaris is drastically abridged and the most sentimental of the three.
Judith Egerton, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
It remains as remote as Pluto from the audience.

Read all 23 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Mike S

Can't sleep? Give this a go and your insomnia will be instantly cured. That isn't to say it's bad though. Just too calm and draggy for my taste. The basic premise is fairly interesting, but it's lacking the drive and excitement that a story like this really needs.… More
Can't sleep? Give this a go and your insomnia will be instantly cured. That isn't to say it's bad though. Just too calm and draggy for my taste. The basic premise is fairly interesting, but it's lacking the drive and excitement that a story like this really needs. Visually sophisticated and beautifully photographed, but ultimately a bit of a bore.
Conner R

Really nowhere near the same caliber as the original, but it's still interesting. I love Jeremy Davies performance as Snow, it's really the shining moment of the movie. However, George Clooney is dull and has some pretty cringe-worthy moments, which is sort of odd for his… More
Really nowhere near the same caliber as the original, but it's still interesting. I love Jeremy Davies performance as Snow, it's really the shining moment of the movie. However, George Clooney is dull and has some pretty cringe-worthy moments, which is sort of odd for his usually good acting. It's too fast paced, typical and unimaginative; ultimately doing nothing for the viewer. Sadly, this could have been great knowing Steven Soderbergh's talent behind the camera.
Dean !

A slightly strange film, something like a sci-fi, thriller but with a romantic feel to it? It's well shot, the cinematography is good and the cast is quite strong. The films raises a lot of questions without providing many answers. Some will like it for this others won't.… More
A slightly strange film, something like a sci-fi, thriller but with a romantic feel to it? It's well shot, the cinematography is good and the cast is quite strong. The films raises a lot of questions without providing many answers. Some will like it for this others won't. One for sci-fi fans, or those open to debate about life, time, religion etc. I'm sure the girls will like it for George Clooney's scenes as well!
Anthony L

Watch the original! That said, this is a bit different and not too bad but I hate Soderbergh. It?s fairly arrogant to remake such an seminal classic, especially as he could never improve on the story.
Dan S

A well put-together sci-fi/romance that succeeds due to it's unique dreamlike nature that would make Stanley Kubrick proud, as well as a strong lead performance from George Clooney. While Clooney's character isn't exactly colored to the extreme, you are still interested… More
A well put-together sci-fi/romance that succeeds due to it's unique dreamlike nature that would make Stanley Kubrick proud, as well as a strong lead performance from George Clooney. While Clooney's character isn't exactly colored to the extreme, you are still interested as to what eventually happens to him. The score is outstanding, complementing a slow, but effective plot structure extremely admirably. The ending is really what saves this movie from mediocre territory, as Soderbergh is able to drive up the suspense while staying grounded on what made this movie watchable to begin with, that being the surreal nature the entire film is drenched in from beginning to end.
Arash X

Suprisingly good, Not just another hopeless remake, Not as profound as the original but more enjoyabl
Pierluigi P

In my opinion, both films, Tarkovsky's first and this Soderbergh's remake are two somewhat painful and stretched out experiences. Despite the enormous sacrifice that means to sit through the whole, there is no doubt that the essential argument of the story is intriguing and… More
In my opinion, both films, Tarkovsky's first and this Soderbergh's remake are two somewhat painful and stretched out experiences. Despite the enormous sacrifice that means to sit through the whole, there is no doubt that the essential argument of the story is intriguing and complex, therefore fascinating.
Candy R

Good actors but why did they do this movie. Weak plot and a bit dull.
xGary X

Psychiatrist George Clooney is sent to investigate the strange happenings on a space station orbiting the mysterious planet Solaris where the crew have been encountering "visitors" from their past. I have not seen Tarkovsky's original so I can be completely objective… More
Psychiatrist George Clooney is sent to investigate the strange happenings on a space station orbiting the mysterious planet Solaris where the crew have been encountering "visitors" from their past. I have not seen Tarkovsky's original so I can be completely objective about this beautiful looking and thoughtful sci-fi. Those expecting thrills and spills will be disappointed; the film is deliberately slow paced and philosophical The handsome pairing of Clooney and McElhone put in solid performances in a film that's more concerned with love and loss than aliens and ray guns. Soderbergh's visuals are top notch with some lovely effects complimented by a wonderfully atmospheric soundtrack, creating a very ethereal and other-worldy quality. I must admit, I'm not entirely sure what it is the film was trying to say exactly, but the journey is stylish and captivating. Fans of 2046 should give it a try; they might be pleasantly surprised.
Tim S

Effective and this is where I realized Clooney was more than just an ER doctor.
Curtis L

Soooo bad. I hear the Russian one is pretty good, though.
Jason S

I thought this was a boring waste of time. Nothing really happens and when it does it really falls flat. Plus it was really long.
David L

This version of Solaris has a very different feel to it than Tarkovsky's original, this is, by Soderbergh's admission, one third the original, one third the novel (by Stanislaw Lem) and one third Soderbergh's own imagination. Its also somewhat of a departure for all… More
This version of Solaris has a very different feel to it than Tarkovsky's original, this is, by Soderbergh's admission, one third the original, one third the novel (by Stanislaw Lem) and one third Soderbergh's own imagination. Its also somewhat of a departure for all involved, particularly Clooney and Soderbergh, though bearing the fingerprints of his style. It must be said that this is not the film that the terrible marketing campaign at the time of it release offered - it is not a funky space-set romance, though it does take place in space and is a romantic story. It is however, a very slow, deliberate film. Only essential information is given and, going from a 61-page script to a 90-minute film, there is little dialogue but a lot of detail. Many will find it too slow and possibly boring and I do have to say its not a film for everyone. But there is so much here to appreciate. It is a film of mood and feelings, creating a beautiful and emotional atmosphere, in which events unwind gradually, rather than an intense plot-driven mish-mash of ideas. Soderbergh's intention is to question the very nature of existence and of love - if you knew something wasn't real, would you avoid getting attached to it, even if it was the one thing you always wanted, more than anything? If it meant never seeing home again, but spending forever in a tiny space with just that person, would rationality cease to exist? Do we only need that one thing that we crave to survive? Beyond this, there are semi-religious overtones added as well - is Solaris heaven? A place where all wishes are granted at the cost of "human" life? The aspect that stands out first and foremost the acting. Viola Davis is wonderful, Jeremy Davies is never less than interesting, and finally Clooney and Natasha McElhone deliver great performances, some of the best of their careers so far. Expanding his range even more after Out of Sight and O Brother Where Art Thou?, Clooney reaches depth you wouldn't have expected of such a matinee-style star. His Chris Kelvin is sad, intense, smart and realistic - the scene where Clooney wakes up to see his dead wife is a wonderful moment of acting, watching him try to bring himself round and shake off the image, only to realise its real. And McElhone is perfectly cast and surprising as the other half of the emotional core. Having been efficient in Ronin and The Truman Show, she seems to have acquired untapped gravitas and beauty in this film, looking absolutely beautiful in a very virginal, pure sense, belying the complexities and internal grief of her character. She too has many moments that just seem incredibly real, as if she forgot to act and just believed in what was happening. The cinematography and effects are very proficient without being showy, creating a believable environment within which the bizarre events are grounded in a reality not so unbelievable. Solaris itself is simply gorgeous to look at, conjuring up images of planets and cells at the same time, hinting at a universality which is not one thing nor the other, but all things which cannot be explained in one term, again suggesting a godliness to it. And the music is brilliantly subtle, flavouring the images to give it that atmosphere of longing and loss and also beauty, never suggesting what we should feel but rather what the on-screen characters are feeling. Soderbergh has made a very mature film here, eschewing the "cool" editing and camera tricks of films such as Traffic, Erin Brockovich, The Limey and Out of Sight for a more stately, sophisticated tone. It never feels forced or unbelievable and, while some of its twists are somewhat predictable, you dont feel cheated at all by the end, rather that everything played out as it should: dramatic and sad in places, beautiful in others, unsettling at times and ultimately quite profound. There really isn't anything wrong with this film, if you are in the mood to have a film wash over you and cause you to ruminate on the ideas of mortality, loss and redemption.
Aaron N

Rheya Kelvin: I can't remember how I got here. Did I come here with you? Chris Kelvin: I don't know how you got here. Rheya Kelvin: What do you mean? Chris Kelvin: I woke up and you were here. Experimental director Steven Soderbergh teams up with James Cameron to bring us… More
Rheya Kelvin: I can't remember how I got here. Did I come here with you? Chris Kelvin: I don't know how you got here. Rheya Kelvin: What do you mean? Chris Kelvin: I woke up and you were here. Experimental director Steven Soderbergh teams up with James Cameron to bring us another film adaptation of Stanislaw Lem's novel Solaris. The plot surrounds a troubled psychologist Chris Kelvin, played by George Clooney, sent to a space station that has gone through some mysterious disruptions, while revolving around the planet Solaris. Upon reaching the station and meeting up with the remaining crew, Kelvin too encounters the situation on the station, and must deal with some past issues of his own. The situation itself is a cause of the mysterious nature of the planet Solaris. Describing the plot makes the film sound much more sci-fi than it actually is. The movie is really a sci-fi romantic drama. Soderbergh takes a more minimalist approach, putting much of what is going on outside the station is the background. That isn't to say there are no effects, because there are. We see great shots of the planet and the station, mixed with Soderbergh's camera style. The film also uses an editing style to convey the thought process of the characters, while at the same time showing the effect that Solaris is having over them. Solaris itself, does work as its own character. Cast wise we have George Clooney dialing back a lot of his charm to portray a broken man who is challenged with how to change a past experience. Jeremy Davies and Viola Davies are good at showing the different aspects of the effect Solaris has had on the crew of the station. Natascha McElhone is also good as Kelvin's past love. This is definitely more of a thinking man's sci-fi film, with much of the film devoted to subtlety, metaphoric scenes and dialog, and a lot of wordless scenes filled with only the images and very good score by Cliff Martinez. A well handled sci-fi flick, with skilled direction, good performances, and good reason for rewatching. Snow: How much sleep ya need, Kelvin? Chris Kelvin: How much sleep? Snow: Yeah. Um, how long ya think you can go without sleep? Chris Kelvin: Depends. Snow: Well, when you do go to sleep... I find I sleep much better with the door locked.
Drew S

I have a hell of a lot of opinions about Solaris, but they are probably going to make me sound indignant or elitist. Here's my attempt to address the movie without paying attention to its throng of detractors - Solaris is a lush, restrained, honest science fiction film with… More
I have a hell of a lot of opinions about Solaris, but they are probably going to make me sound indignant or elitist. Here's my attempt to address the movie without paying attention to its throng of detractors - Solaris is a lush, restrained, honest science fiction film with plenty of brains to go around. It is what The Fountain wishes it could be. It alarms me how easily people are bored by movies about their fellow man. Solaris is, first and foremost, a human story. The superimposition of the philosophical and sociological themes on the space setting works far more effectively than it did in The Fountain (or, for that matter, in 2001, though that movie didn't have any themes OR humanity). The space station is merely a backdrop for Chris and Rheya's relationship, which is the focal point of Solaris. Without it, the movie is absolutely nothing. One could definitely argue that Solaris is a spartan film, devoid of humor or subplots or even characterization aside from Clooney and McElhone. I find that the minimalism aids the film intensely. That's something I really love about Solaris - every directorial decision was wisely selected and executed to enhance the film and its messages. Steven Soderbergh had a powerful vision of the movie he was making; he has really impressed me here.
Michael S

Underrated.
Michael G

If I was gay the shot of Clooney's ass might have made it worth it.
Nate Z

[font=Arial][color=darkred]A most amazing thing occurred when I sat down in my theater to watch Steven Soderbergh?s sci-fi remake, 'Solaris'. The majority of the theater was women, no small part I?m sure to George Clooney and the promise to see his posterior not once, but… More
[font=Arial][color=darkred]A most amazing thing occurred when I sat down in my theater to watch Steven Soderbergh?s sci-fi remake, 'Solaris'. The majority of the theater was women, no small part I?m sure to George Clooney and the promise to see his posterior not once, but twice. As the film progressed I kept hearing the rattling of seats and the exit doors. When the lights came back on more than half my theater had walked out on 'Solaris'. I have never seen this many walk outs for any film before, and if one has to hold this title 'Solaris' certainly does not deserve this dubious honor.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Clooney plays Chris Kelvin, super future psychologist who is struggling to overcome the grief over the suicide of his wife, Rheya (Natascha McElhone). Clooney is dispatched to a space station orbiting the mysterious glowing planet Solaris. Seems strange goings on, are, well, going on. When he arrives he finds that the station head has taken his own life and the two remaining crewmembers on board could use more than a few hugs.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Clooney goes to sleep (in a bed resembling bubble-wrap) and is startled awake when his dead wife is suddenly lying right beside him. But is it his wife? Is it merely his memories being recounted? Is it Solaris messing with his gray matter? Does Rheya have consciousness of the past or of her self? What are her thoughts on her new materialization? Good luck Steven Soderbergh, existentialist party of one.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]It?s not that 'Solaris' is necessarily a bad film, it?s just that it?s plodding, mechanical and overly ambitious. There are long periods of staring, followed by brief exposition, then more staring, sometimes earnestly but mostly slack-jawed. 'Solaris' is attempting to be an existential meditation on identity and self, but what really occurs is a lot of nothingness. For a movie that was over three hours in its original 1971 Russian conception, and a mere 93 minutes in its slimmer Soderbergh size, I could likely get this movie done in 6 minutes. It could be argued that its arduous pacing amplifies its methodical subject matter, but whatever.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Clooney has said in interviews how Solaris was the most challenging role of his career. To this I make a collective psssha noise of disagreement. Clooney turns from grief-stricken to confusion, then back to grief-stricken with nary a line of dialogue. The effect is more dampening than emotional. Clooney?s conscious gets even worse when he banishes New Rheya into the cold vacuum of space then Another Rheya appears the next night. He just can?t escape this dead woman.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]I?m very pleased to see the glassy-eyed, apple-cheeked beauty McElhone in movies again. She seemed to be on the cusp of mainstream acceptance after prominent roles in 1998?s 'Truman Show' and 'Ronin', yet she just disappeared. McElhone is a wonderfully expressive actress and deserves to be a leading lady.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Soderbergh?s take on existential dread could be described as a noble failure. 'Solaris' is the type of overreaching, underachieving film only really talented people could make. And for anyone wanting to leave after the double dose of Clooney?s derriere, they both happen in the first 30 minutes. You can go after that.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: C+[/color][/font]
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic][color=red]Several years ago, I saw the 1972 version of "Solaris" directed by Andrei Tarkovsky at the Anthology Film Archives in New York City. It was a bad print that broke on a few occasions. I liked the movie and had the peculiar sensation of it… More
[font=Century Gothic][color=red]Several years ago, I saw the 1972 version of "Solaris" directed by Andrei Tarkovsky at the Anthology Film Archives in New York City. It was a bad print that broke on a few occasions. I liked the movie and had the peculiar sensation of it washing over me when I woke up the next morning. When it was released on DVD a little while back, I bought it and had put off on seeing it again until recently when I was close to seeing the 2002 version of the movie directed by Steven Soderbergh. This time around I had a better handle on the movie's theme which was there may be somethings out in the universe too alien for humanity to understand. And I think I also had a better grasp on the ending...[/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#8b0000]Now as far as the 2002 version goes, it still contains the basic plot of Dr. Kelvin(George Clooney in this version) who goes off to a space station surrounding the planet Solaris to investigate some strange goings-on. While there, he encounters the two surviving crewmembers, one who is very talkative and the other won't leave her quarters. And then Kelvin's late wife shows up...[/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#8b0000]The problem with this version starts with George Clooney's being cast. He is a man of action and not used to being cast in a role that requires this much introspection and thought. Plus, while the movie gets off to a quick start(always appreciate the thought but here I think it's wasted and I liked Tarkovsky's way of explaining past events), it soon bogs down in flashbacks about Kelvin's relationship with his wife. And it also does tend to be literal in its explanations of what may be going on. A twist towards the end of the movie makes no sense and a radical change to the ending does not help. But on the other hand, Jeremy Davies makes a valid attempt to steal the film.[/color][/font]
Cody H

The pieces enigmatic intellectualism and resonating prowess overcome its occasional droll. And though easily inaccessible to certain viewers, Soderberghs Solaris is a well-crafted and thought-provoking mood piece with well-rounded performances within the poetic display.