Sam (Margaret Qualley), one of the last survivors on a post-cataclysmic Earth, is a young scientist dedicated to finding a way for humans to adapt and survive, rather than abandon their world. But with the final shuttle scheduled to leave the planet for a distant colony, her determination to stay is rocked by the arrival of another survivor, Micah (Anthony Mackie). She must decide whether to journey with him to join the rest of humanity and begin life anew, or stay to fight f... (Full plot summary below)
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Sam (Margaret Qualley), one of the last survivors on a post-cataclysmic Earth, is a young scientist dedicated to finding a way for humans to adapt and survive, rather than abandon their world. But with the final shuttle scheduled to leave the planet for a distant colony, her determination to stay is rocked by the arrival of another survivor, Micah (Anthony Mackie). She must decide whether to journey with him to join the rest of humanity and begin life anew, or stay to fight for Earth's survival.
Leave your thoughts about IO.
| IGNKenneth Seward Jr.IO provides a different take on a familiar premise. The story is intimate in nature, with a plot that highlights the importance of relationships – not just between partners or family members, but relationships in general. Its pacing and lack of urgency betrays the drama though. |
| The GuardianAdrian HortonToo measured and sedate for a post-apocalyptic thriller, yet too barren for a Christopher Nolan-style space and time travel epic, IO appears most akin to The Martian in that it focuses primarily on one person’s grit and resourcefulness to endure and grow plants in an unforgiving place. |
| RogerEbert.comNick AllenBroad themes like staunch hope, and vital human connection, become cheap sentiments, vanishing into air. “IO” isn’t science fiction storytelling distilled so much as it is vaporized. |
| The New York TimesScott TobiasThe dynamic between Sam and Micah shifts the film into romantic melodrama, as lifeless and as chaste as the windswept apocalypse that surrounds them. |
| Consequence of SoundBlake GobleIO is dull, it drags, and it’ll beg the question: When will this, all of this, be over? |
| The Hollywood ReporterKeith UhlichThere's barely a scene in IO that's performed with pulse or verve. It's Sad-Face Emoji Sci-Fi, with po-faced references to Greek mythology, Chopin and T.S. Eliot, among others, and empirical techno-jargon spoken at a Valley Girl level of credibility. |
| User ReviewGoosedIO is a thought-provokingly deep movie made for those who can appreciate mythology and allegories. A delight to watch, the film separates itself from the rest through its immersion of atmosphere, introspective narrative and exploration of societal underpinnings. I would recommend this film if you find yourself contemplating the future of society and often wonder about the profound effects modern civilization has on our world. |
| User RevieweverinquisitiveThis human-centered drama has the hallmark of great sci-fi: it is patiently paced to allow us to consider the possibilities it offers. In this case, it contemplates environmental catastrophe through the experiences of just two characters. Its composite form has no CGI moments of improbable spaceship maneuvers and explosions; instead, the focus is on how humans might respond to environmental cataclysm, and how humans and natural systems might change in unexpected ways. This movie does not shout its message; its subtle script requires you to ponder the central allegory it poses, like many good short stories. If you have the patience to follow the details, it's a compelling proposition for how humans might respond to a changed earth. |
| User ReviewRaduAI liked it. It's not a masterpiece, but I can say I haven't lost 90 minutes of my life. I do not think it's for everyone (I looked to see what the world was saying and many said it was boring) but I like slow movies (some). |
| User ReviewJoeCoolI thought this was going to be a waste of time but I found it surprisingly good. That may be because I've seen quite a few 2+ hours movies lately that quite frankly bored me, some to pieces. This one however actually had an interesting premise, even if the science was a bit dodgy. Well acted budget movie. I've seen far worse. Finally something to make the green again, a surprising one at that. |
