(2009) Disoriented after emerging from a suspended-animation tube, Cpl Bower (Ben Foster) isn't even aware of his identity, a result of memory loss from extended hypersleep. In the tube beside his, he eventually releases Lt Payton (Dennis Quaid); in the dark, neither has any recall of their mission or destination.
Unable to open the door as a result of power failure and surges, thinking that there's "No one here except us," Payton remains behind while Bower enters a ventilation shaft to explore. Communication disruptions leave Payton uncertain of Bower's location as the corporal encounters two gruesome corpses and gets attacked first by a woman (who speaks German) with a knife and then something else. Of the latter he reports to Payton: "They didn't seem human."
In an Alien-like sci-fi horror film, directed by Christian Alvart, teaming with screenwriter Travis Milloy on the original story, the spacecraft Elysium was launched from Earth in 2174 as battles raged over limited resources toward the only known Earth-like planet, Tanis. On a recording of the final, farewell message as the ship departed Earth: "You're all that's left of us. Good luck. God bless. And Godspeed."
Finding themselves in the abyss of space, the two men, calculating they've been on a settlers' vessel for eight years, come to the conclusion that there will be no rescue and no turning back. Payton tells Bower, who's concerned about their wives and other families somewhere onboard, that they must get to the bridge to take control: "We save the ship. We save them."
As they ponder what might have happened to the rest of the flight crew, Payton recalls the catastrophe of the Eden voyage when an officer suffered ODS (orbital dysfunction syndrome), also known as pandorum, a psychological breakdown (causing one to believe a mission is cursed with evil) sometimes brought on during deep-space travel. Little by little, Bower's memory improves, including his role as the ship's technical engineer: the core reactor must be reset before "everything is lost."
On his way to locate the reactor, Bower finds Manh (Cung Le), a fierce crew member (who only speaks Vietnamese); re-encounters the German woman, Nadia (Antje Traue), originally with the genetic-sampling team - who speaks English and explains that the Elysium is in effect a latter-day Noah's ark; and Leland (Eddie Rouse), a cook who has learned that survival of the fittest or brightest requires one not to have a heart. The four fight their way against the creatures (some kind of mutant passengers), savage hunters of human quarry, to the reactor.
Isolated back in his chamber, Payton comes face-to-face with Cpl Gallo (Cam Gigantet), a member of the crew that preceded the lieutenant's flight, showing symptoms of ODS, who asks: "How do you think you would react if you knew the truth?"
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