Summary
Breaking Badfans should keep a lookout for this brand-new sci-fi thriller, releasing later this month. For those who have been missing Aaron Paul’s stellar dramatic performances,Ashmight be a movie worth watching.
Paul is best known for his break-out role as Jesse Pinkman inBreaking Bad. A part that demanded a skillful and deft handling of intense dramatic scenes, full of melancholy, grief, and regret. Since then, Paul has made several reprisals to the role, including his own standalone filmEl Camino(2019), which wrapped up Pinkman’s storyline, and cameo appearances as recently as the last season ofBetter Call Saulin 2022. Outside the usual genres that Paul is known for, the performer has continued to expand his career into voice acting. His part as the comedic and wacky sidekick,Todd, inBoJack Horseman(2014-2020)was a nice change of pace from his typical work. Although,BoJack Horsemanfans will know that from Season 2 onward, Paul still had to act in scenes and plotlines that were heavy and deeply depressing. More recently, the star has been dipping his toes back into action-packed, devastating parts like Powerplex inInvincible’slatest season. Now, Paul returns once again to tackle a new thrilling role full of nail-biting stakes.
Ashis an exciting new psychological sci-fi horror that boasts to be visually groundbreaking. A number of critics have celebrated the premiere as a mind-bending piece of filmwork after its debut at the SXSW Festival. Itssubstantial score on Rotten Tomatoescurrently sits at 87%, giving the production fresh wind in its sails before its theatrical release.
Ashis the next project from musician and producer Flying Lotus, who was previously known for his directing work onKuso(2017). Given the fact that his last directorial outingreceived 33% from Rotten Tomatoes, Lotusappears to be improving his craft. The film follows Riya (Eiza González), who wakes up on the mysterious planet of Ash to discover that her crewmates have been slaughtered. She deals with a constant, unrelenting state of paranoia as she has no recollection of the events that transpired. A fairly standard sci-fi thriller premise, but Flying Lotus reportedly takes the genre and forges its own, bold direction by using otherworldly and vibrant hypnotic colors to transform the planet’s landscape, making the production stand out from its competition.
Aaron Paul plays Brion, a first responder to an S.O.S. warning from Riya’s space station. Brion’s original intent appears to be rescuing Riya and bringing her to safety, but his true desires slowly come into question as the film spirals into an insane nightmare of existential dread that is very reminiscent of Lovecraftian horror. Paul also reportedly brings an adept amount of ambiguity to his role, which elevates the mystery around his character’s objectives. Those who enjoyed Paul’s performance in theBlack Mirrorepisode “Beyond the Sea” (2023) should also consider watchingAsh, as the actor continues to broaden his riveting exploits in space.Fans ofBreaking Badshouldn’t miss Paul’s next critical hit, and remind themselves why he is one of the most gripping actors in film and television.
