Adam Sandler’s Spaceman review: Should you watch it or skip it? 

Adam Sandler debuted as an astronaut for the first time in the recently released Netflix film Spaceman. The film premiered on the streaming platform on March 1, 2024, and sees Adam Sandler as the first Czech astronaut venturing into space.

The official synopsis of the film reads:

"Six months into a solitary research mission to the edge of the solar system, an astronaut, Jakub, realizes that the marriage he left behind might not be waiting for him when he returns to Earth."

It continues:

"Desperate to fix things with his wife, Lenka, he is helped by a mysterious creature from the beginning of time he finds hiding in the bowels of his ship. Hanuš works with Jakub to make sense of what went wrong before it is too late."

The film has opened to mixed reviews, and if viewers are contemplating whether they should tune into the latest Adam Sandler film, read ahead.

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Spaceman on Netflix: Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan shine but the film fails to deliver a solid theme

Directed by Johan Renck (known for Chernobyl), the latest Netflix sci-fi film is based on the novel Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfař. The film stars Adam Sandler in the role of the titular spaceman named Jakub Procházka. Also starring is Carey Mulligan in the role of Lenka, Jakub's wife. Paul Dano features in the film as the voice of the extraterrestrial spider, Hanuš.

The premise of the film sees Jakub 189 days into his solo mission in space as the first astronaut from the Czech Republic. He is on a mission on behalf of the Euro Space Programme and travels near Jupiter to study the 'Chopra Cloud'. However, Jakub has left behind his pregnant wife, Lenka, as both of them deal with solitude in their own ways. Lenka decides to leave Jakub since he is the furthest away when she needs him the most.

At its core, Spaceman is a study of two incredibly depressed and lonely individuals. Jakub is the one who causes his loneliness through his career choice. He's thousands of miles away when Lenka needs him most. In the great majority of the sequences, Sandler is by himself in the spacecraft. He is shown adjusting machinery and moving around the ship in a continuous sequence of pictures. He is seen experiencing sleeplessness, while his anxiousness increases rapidly.

Jakub encounters Hanus as he struggles with both his personal life and the hardships of the cosmos and unexpectedly develops a bond with the spider. He receives support from the enormous spider in processing his trauma, loss, and grief. They develop a very personal bond in the process, which transforms Jakub's approach to carrying out his purpose.

Carey Mulligan has limited screen time in the film however, she delivers Lenka's emotions with conviction and makes viewers understand why she would want to leave Jakub.

Spaceman, however, fails to live up to its cosmic expectations, despite its grandiose premise. The film touches upon various themes like loneliness, existential dread, and empathy. However, the film fails to deliver on any of these themes and leaves the viewers wanting for more.

Despite the sincere performances of Sandler and the supporting cast, the movie eventually falls short of surpassing its cliched plot, abandoning spectators with a sense of unrealized potential.

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Spaceman is worth a one-time watch owing to the performances of the actors and certain visually appealing scenes. The film is available for streaming on Netflix.