EUROPA REPORT

Europa Report asks serious questions about life, purpose, knowledge and death. Its astronauts care deeply for one another, and their sacrifices create a redemptive element in an otherwise humanist story. The film can also prompt Christians to discuss who made the stars and planets and what happens after we die.

But the movie does not lead those questions toward biblical truth. Knowledge for knowledge’s sake governs the mission, and the story ultimately promotes a humanist worldview that includes evolution. Its intense scenes leading to death are not gory, but they can still be disturbing. The found-footage style and shifting timeline add interest without making the experience consistently entertaining.

Watch it at home if you are a discerning adult who wants a conversation starter and can handle its worldview and content; do not choose it for children or young teens.

A team of modern astronauts travels deep into space toward Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, to investigate whether it contains life. Told through found footage, interviews and a near-documentary style, the film follows the crew as they face isolation, danger and difficult choices.

Their mission tests the bond between the astronauts and their commitment to science. As the journey grows more intense, they must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for one another and for the mission.

Two stars means this is a thoughtful but uneven science-fiction thriller. The mixture of actual space-travel accounts, fictitious found footage, press junkets and individual interviews creates a realistic, near-documentary feeling. The dialogue uses little technical language, making the movie accessible to a wide audience.

The other special effects are believable, though some visuals look game-like. One overly long sequence of the shuttle against an orb resembles an Atari game more than news footage. The forward-and-backward timeline is kept understandable by an on-screen counter, but the movie remains intense and almost claustrophobic much of the time. Human relationships and occasional light comments provide some relief.

Europa Report focuses on survival, the human condition and the questions people ask when faced with the unknown. The astronauts care deeply for one another, but their human love is repeatedly weighed against the demands of the mission. Their personal sacrifices are made in the name of science for the good of those present and the future of mankind.

The film asks, “Who are we,” “Why are we here,” “Where do we come from,” and “Are we alone?” It also suggests that a person’s worth may depend on what he or she can do for society. One character asks, “Compared to the breadth of knowledge already known, what does your life actually matter?” The movie promotes a humanist worldview, including evolution, and ultimately presents sacrifice for a humanist cause rather than pointing viewers to God.

Still, the film can open useful conversations. Its questions invite viewers to consider who made the stars and planets, what life means, and what happens after death. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1, ESV).

Europa Report is a thoughtful, intense conversation starter, but its humanist worldview does not answer its deepest questions with biblical truth. Because of its content and ideas, save it for discerning adults who can discuss it carefully at home. Our answer is WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For other choices, see.