AstroNots is a fun short film that leaves just the right amount on the table to want you to see what happens next to our hapless duo. Co-writers and leads Adam Dunn and Aaron Glenane bounce well off each other to bring us an entertaining time, well worth a watch.
The world is about to end. Mars is humanity’s only hope. Two astronauts, Commander Collins and Pilot Adams, are given the mission. They sit on the launchpad about to launch when suddenly Adams admits something catastrophic to their mission that could doom Earth forever.
The concept of AstroNots is actually one that could have been played deadly straight. What if, as you are on the launch pad for a mission to save the ones you love, everyone on the planet, if one of your team suddenly blurted out information that could destroy everything? What do you do? Do you carry on with the mission and try to work it out, knowing that this may be humanity’s last chance, or do you stop it and try to get it sorted or delay it?
As the actual joke towards the film is worth not being spoiled by me, we will keep it hidden away in case you get to see the film yourself to get that great surprise. Going in blind is genuinely key to getting the fullest enjoyment out of director Andrew Seaton’s joyful short film. One of the strengths, however, is how the film allows us to feel towards Commander Collins. This is his moment, and his eagerness to get up there and save the planet also has a wonderfully humorous twist. Yet, it works. You buy into the reasoning, and so when we get to the finale, all you can mutter to yourself is “Oh God”.
It’s an intriguing twist to make this a comedy. As mentioned, this could have been a great science fiction drama with a couple of tweaks. Instead, it is a unique blend of science fiction and comedy. AstroNots takes that heavy thought and adds a great deal of lightness to it, to the point that you actively want to see what is going to happen next. This is down to the solid pacing of the short, with Seaton and editor Kelly Searancke allowing the moments to breathe. We could easily let Collins find out the truth about their situation and then move on quickly to the next joke. Still, instead, they allow it to have that moment to let us see how he, like any astronaut, is trying to figure out the most logical way to approach the information given to him.
Co-writers (and leads) Adam Dunn and Aaron Glanane write the situation as if it was playing like a straight drama. It is only when they add in the more comedic moments and humourous portions, thanks to the ever-increasing absurdity of their predicament, that AstroNots fleshes itself out to be the comedy it ends up being.
Their performances allow us to find levity in such a dire situation, which is a testament to their comedic timing as actors to pull that off. Dunn and Glenane are all about the expressions in their performances as our two astronauts. From the little glances that they give one another as they interact while strapped into their chairs, their chemistry as a duo is palpable, and they work very well off one another, which is bound to entertain audiences.
You sense with how AstroNots wraps up that there is going to be more to this story with this duo. There needs to be, as their timing together is one of the highlights of the film. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see how these two stumble their way through the next steps of their journey? There is a lot of story left on the table with this film, and you expect that was intended. Hopefully, we will see more of them, as this was a good bit of fun to lighten the mood.
★★★ 1/2
For more of our coverage of Fantasia Festival 2024 please check out our reviews below:
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