DVD tip

Passengers

The set-up has promise: In the future, more than 5,000 Earthlings sleep away 120 years in hibernation pods as their spacecraft brings them to another planet, where they’ll live out the rest of their lives. One man (Chris Pratt), though, wakes up 90 years early when his pod malfunctions, which means he’s the only human around (although he does get company in the form of a robot, played to perfection by Michael Sheen). After a year alone and battling suicidal thoughts, Pratt's character decides to wake a woman (Jennifer Lawrence) for company. They enjoy a romance — until she finds out what he did, essentially ensuring she’ll live and die onboard the ship. The problem is, the direction by Morten Tyldum never coalesces into a cohesive, emotionally engaging vision. The sets look great, but the effects are so-so. The performances by Pratt and Lawrence are the weakest I’ve seen from these usually reliable stars. And the ending? Oh, please.