Astro (2018)

Astro aims for that pulpy, late-night sci-fi-thriller energy where ambition matters as much as budget, and it’s hard not to lean in once its billionaire space program brings something very dangerous back to Earth. The movie’s real selling point is its forward momentum: it keeps tightening the screws with action beats that give Gary Daniels room to do what he does best, while the supporting cast (notably Max Crosby and Marshal Hilton) puts in genuine effort to make the human stakes feel sharper than you might expect. The vibe is brisk, scrappy, and conspiratorial—more “hang on and enjoy the ride” than “prestige sci-fi”—with enough tension to keep you watching through the rough edges. If you want sleek world-building and polish, this may not be your orbit, but if you’re in the mood for a no-nonsense genre mash-up that tries hard and delivers some satisfying physicality, Astro is an easy bet.

Astro (2018) is clearly trying to be a slick, high-stakes sci‑fi thriller about a billionaire’s secret space program and the dangerous consequences of bringing something unknown back to Earth. Unfortunately, the execution is rough: the acting is stiff, the plot often feels like it’s skipping steps, and the effects and direction don’t sell the scale or tension the premise needs. It also builds toward payoff moments that either don’t land or don’t feel satisfying, which can make the whole thing seem like a lot of noise without a real finish. If you enjoy low-budget sci‑fi for the oddball premise and don’t mind a messy ride, you might get some guilty-pleasure value, but if you want coherent storytelling and convincing production quality, this one will test your patience.