Seriously dude. I came to start a similar thread but yours will do. The Swedes do indeed love making you depressed. Bergman was the pioneer in making depressing films although not all of them were on the level of a downer as this film. I had a funny feeling that the people who offed themselves near the begtinning of the film were the smart ones. The biggest downer was when they found that thing in space that they thought for some reason had to be fuel sent to them from Mars and although it turned out to be some sort of alien discovery it was like whopdee fkn doo. I had the same feeling as you as I cannot say it is a bad film but I did not have a good time watching it.

Aniara (2019) - 7 outta 10 stars

@movie_nazi said:

Seriously dude. I came to start a similar thread but yours will do. The Swedes do indeed love making you depressed. Bergman was the pioneer in making depressing films although not all of them were on the level of a downer as this film. I had a funny feeling that the people who offed themselves near the begtinning of the film were the smart ones. The biggest downer was when they found that thing in space that they thought for some reason had to be fuel sent to them from Mars and although it turned out to be some sort of alien discovery it was like whopdee fkn doo. I had the same feeling as you as I cannot say it is a bad film but I did not have a good time watching it.

Aniara (2019) - 7 outta 10 stars

I know right?? After watching this I was in a nihilistic funk for a few days. I recently tried watching it again but only got halfway thru before needing to switch to some goofy anime. Bergman really did establish a strong tradition of depressing cinema and it seems to be as potent as ever today.

I think you're right that the early suicides got off the ride while the gettin was good. The astronomer was another interesting character since she knew from day 1 how hopeless everything was, she didn't even entertain the idea of being saved. Maybe her fate was a blessing in disguise.

I agree that the 'refueling ship' was the killer. I mean, if they had quietly drifted off into oblivion which they had sorta started to accept, that would've been one thing... But no, along comes a gleaming sign of hope that gets them pumped up, only to be dashed again. Brutal stuff man!

And then, to really stick hot poker in your eye, at the very end of the film, they just had to show the ship floating by a inhabitable planet many years after everyone on the ship had died. It's like oh man, why do you hate me? 🤣😂