Saturn

Moral dilemmas often call for making hard choices, matters necessitating profound, introspective soul-searching. And, as this insightful sci-fi offering illustrates, it’s a process that not only includes us mortals, but also extends to supernatural beings possessing tremendous powers and even greater responsibilities. When the Earth’s existence is threatened by the sudden appearance of an enormous, mysterious, seemingly menacing planet in the sky above, a mild-mannered professor and family man (Dominic Bogart) who carries a secret about his true nature must decide whether to continue living out the life he so dearly enjoys or live up to an ancient obligation as a protector of the world. Can he make the right choice between quiet domestic contentment with his wife (Piercey Dalton) and son (Elijah Maximus), or must he inevitably bring himself to sacrifice this tranquil life in order to fulfill his sacred responsibility of keeping his promise to save a questionably deserving planet, one that has repeatedly failed through the ages to attain the stability and social maturity hoped for it by its guardian shepherds? Such is the heady question presented in writer-director Eric Esau’s morality play set in a world of extraordinary circumstances. The filmmaker’s third feature outing provides viewers with a look into a scenario where much is on the line for both the planet and for one of the individuals sworn to save it, along with the personal reflection he must undergo in deciding which choice to make. While the film could occasionally use some quickened pacing in the first half, it nevertheless delivers on its central premise with ample heartfelt emotion, a quality rarely seen in sci-fi offerings to the degree that it’s on display here, a trait that truly sets this release apart from other such pictures that rely more heavily on special effects and other glitzy gimmicks to carry the story. It might even bring a tear to one’s eye, something almost unheard of for releases in this genre. Admittedly, though, finding this offering may take some effort at the moment, as it has been principally playing the film festival circuit, but it’s a movie decidedly deserving of wider attention as a theatrical or streaming release. If you’re an ardent fan of movies like this, “Saturn” should definitely be on your watchlist.