Órbita 9 (2017) Poster

(2017)

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7/10
not everything is as it seems, or is it?
jimvandemoter3 September 2017
This movie takes it's time to tell the story. If you don't have patience you will get nothing out of it. I totally liked this flick because it drew me in. I don't mind a slow moving story if it can keep my interest. This movie has it's flaws, but overall it told a good story with a different perspective. Some people will be put off by subtitles, but that's not a problem for me. I would recommend this for someone who wants something different.
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6/10
Charming SF with good twists and low-key direction.
chrisfowler1 October 2017
The beautiful Clara Lago is on her way from a ruined Earth to Celeste, and awakes in her space- pod to find someone docking - the first living person she'll meet apart from her deceased parents. But the handsome engineer who visits to fix her oxygen is offhand, even though he kisses her... You can see the first of the twists coming (it's in the trailer) but some of the others are nicely handled. This low-key futuristic Spanish-made adventure has some good ideas, a pleasing score and cool visuals, but the director could have made more of the story's tragic implications.
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6/10
Gives away secret too early, gets slow, but interesting overall
imdb-713-8755258 April 2018
No spoilers, I promise. :-)

The big reveal is given away too early in the movie, without enough build up or interesting interactions. From there to the next twist, the movie is pretty slow. It makes some future-looking statements but doesn't delve into any detail enough to be truly thought provoking. Just brings up some common SciFi scenarios and then does nothing with it.

A few more not too bad twists and a fun ending make it worth watching, but sad that it could have been much better.
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6/10
A rather bland sci-fi, but well done
siderite4 August 2018
Twenty minutes in, there is a twist that was kind of obvious. Without spoiling it, it is something that has been done before with various degrees of success, but never caught on. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't move too far from this point on and doesn't bring anything new to the table regarding this particular subgenre. Clara Lago is really beautiful, but there is nothing she could have done to improve on the story. In the end, it feels like a way too long anthology series episode, one idea that has not really taken off as a full movie. The film is well done, the acting is good, my only problem is the simplicity of the plot.
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7/10
Very impressive for the budget, but that doesnt mean its great.
just_me_joeri6 April 2018
Firstly, do not watch the trailer. Its spoils a plottwist, the movie isnt really about this plottwist, but its still a shame.

I would like to say, that Im very very impressed with the visuals and photography of this movie given the tiny budget. Bravo! The acting is also good as well as the story. It gives some light Ex-machina, HER, and MOON vibe's story wise. And the 3%, vibe's filmography wise.

There are however some very weird decisions made by the characters halfway trough the movie. Which cause problems which could have been avoided if the characters would have just communicated. Its like they did not know how to further the plot, and just decided to make someone do something stupid for no reason whatsoever a few times in a row. I personally find this very jarring.

There are also some weird actions which seem to not fit the character or institutions taking them. Im still figuring out why.

These 2 issues are however small blemishes on an otherwise great movie.
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5/10
A film that starts very promising, but ends very Hollywood.
RobertLThorpe9 April 2018
From the opening I loved the concept, a sci-fi film with some very subtle twists that offer up a thinking mans film. Unfortunately as we enter into the 3rd act, the film gets bogged down into cliché storytelling and the compelling twists and turns become a Michael Bay attempt at a love story.

There are hints of Blade Runner, EX-Machina, and 2001 mixed into this highly original tale of preparing for our exit from earth to a land far away so that we can survive our own destruction of earth. A woman, is alone on a ship, on her way to Celeste, a planet that can/does have life on it already. We are never sure what her mission really is and that is ok. For reasons made clear early, she has been alone on the ship for 20 years, she is 21 or so years old, how she was cared for as an infant is never really made clear, but its a plot hole very few will take notice of.

Anyway, the time has come for her to get her oxygen fixed which is really code for needed her computer upgraded. Why they cant do this from outside of the ship, is never explained either. However, again, you don't care. Insert hunk of a man who comes to fix the computer. She is immediately smitten with him, as she has not ever really seen another human before, and he is a male. Need I say more.

After a one nighter he leaves, and I guess falls for her. This is where the story sorta falls apart. Their relationship never builds up to what it becomes later in the 3rd act, so the fact that the sacrifices that are made at the end are not earned, we don't really care and thus, forced. With so many nice subtle twists in the film earlier, I was hoping it would have gone in another direction, but it went FULL HOLLYWOOD and thus derailing what could have been interesting and a nice thought film on the future of our species. Instead it chose cliché over substance. Dooming it. Still, there is a lot of nice things about the film, performances, (other than the token evil American) the directing and effects all work really well. Its unfortunate the 3rd act ruins the film.
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7/10
Forgettable 3rd act, but otherwise a solid production
Stephan_fr18 August 2020
I really enjoyed this movie, even though the ending was a bit too contrived and bittersweet.

I recommend giving it a shot if you like scifi Spanish movies similar to say, 'Mirage' or are a fan of the twilight zone/black mirror/the outer limits type stories.
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3/10
Great plot but they wasted it
uffe-100-87259310 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I love sci-fi, and this idea for a sci-fi movie is great! But they dropped it. There was one, and only one, moment in the movie thar was catching. When the movie turned from "girl alone in spaceship in space" to "girl alone in test-lab on earth" they could probably have made a really interesting and exciting story. Now the idea was wasted for a shallow, un-sensetive and quite stupid love story.
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7/10
Orbiter 9
Tweekums4 January 2022
This is a difficult film to describe without giving too much away as the main twist comes relatively early on; however I will try.

As this Spanish sci-fi film opens we are told that that Helena is alone aboard a spaceship heading to the Planet Celeste. Her parents had been traveling with her but, following a malfunction, left her so she could survive to a point where the ship could rendezvous with an engineer at a space station before continuing to her destination. The engineer, Alex, arrives and fixes the problem. She sleeps with him, knowing she won't see another person for twenty years. Shortly afterwards she is surprised when Alex returns... what he shows her will turn her existence upside down as well as put them both in danger.

I didn't know what to expect from this film; as I started watching all I knew was that it was in Spanish and was about a woman alone in space who meets a male engineer who changes her life. Knowing so little added a lot to my enjoyment of the film. The twist came as a genuine surprise; and, while nothing that followed had quite the same impact, the story kept me gripped till the end. The romantic elements felt a little forced; as if they were there to explain Alex telling Helena what he does... it might have been better had the early section of the film had been expanded to give them time to get genuinely close rather than the apparent one night stand. The cast is decent enough; most obviously Clara Lago and Álex González as Helena and Alex respectively. Overall I thought this was a fun little sci-fi movie; worth a watch if you are a fan of the genre.

These comments are based on watching the film in Spanish with English subtitles.
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4/10
Hardly Sci-fi. Just a romantic overused formula.
IvnSoft16 April 2018
There is a sci-fi idea behind.. But it is hardly relevant. All the movie revolves with the drama between the protagonists. I fell for this one. I usually don't watch Spanish movies (and i speak Spanish too) because most of the times, the actors don't convince me. This one was another one where i couldn't believe any of the actors. There are times where a couple of actors spoke with sentences mixed in Spanish and English, cant really understand why.

I don't like spoiling anything, But the main plot twists are really easy to spot, and/or guess in advance. And even if you don't guess them, when they come, they are not really surprising. You are left feeling " well.. that was obvious".

The pacing is slow. Not annoyingly, but unnecessarily. The first time i watched i fell asleep right in the middle.

For me , i didn't care for this movie. If i had missed it, i wouldn't even care. Still, the quality of the production has some value.

If you like Spanish movies (and i mean, spoken Spanish, like Abre los ojos) you might enjoy this one.

If you don't like subtitles, or Spanish accent, or romantic movies. skip it.
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10/10
This movie deserves more than 5.5
joesmomberg24 September 2017
This was a fairly good little sci thriller with a little bit of everything. There was a dash of suspense, some romance, and even a little Tom Cruise style action where people were running around. The ending wasn't perfect, but I liked how it wasn't dumbed down for the audience. That's a rare thing in today's cinema, and this "you either get it or you don't" attitude has endeared this director to me. The acting was good enough for a movie of this nature, and Clara Lago's performance was memorably good. Overall, I'd say this film deserves a solid 7, but I'm giving it a 10 because it deserves to have a higher average. At the time of writing this review, Orbiter 9 has a 5,5 and suicide squad has a 6.2 on IMDb. That's not right people. That's not right at all.
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6/10
More potential
oaksc-280925 January 2020
Great concept, but it wasn't explored as fully as it could have been. The twist was revealed too soon, given how predictable the ending was. I personally would have liked to see more focus on the moral/ethical consequences/repercussions, then it could have really found its niche.
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Succeeds at pretty much everything it sets out to do, but still I didn't love it.
Hellmant20 April 2018
'ORBITER 9': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A Spanish science fiction romance about a young woman who's spent her whole life in a space pod, and learns that the reality she's always known is a lie. The film was directed and written by Hatem Khraiche (in his feature film directorial debut). It stars Clara Lago, Álex González, Andrés Parra and Belén Rueda. I found it to be interesting and effectively involving as well.

Helena (Lago) is a young woman who's spent her entire life (since birth) on a space pod sent from Earth to a distant planet. Once there she's told she'll meet other people and have a normal life. Her only communication has been with the ship's onboard computer. That is until a repairman, named Alex (González), arrives on the pod to make needed repairs to it. Helena immediately falls in love with him, having been the only person she's ever met, and Alex feels strong emotions for her as well. That's why he's compelled to tell her the truth, which will expose to Helena that nothing she's believed about her entire reality is true.

The movie proposes great questions about what the greater good is, morally, and how much is an acceptable cost to achieve it. Although the story feels a little reminiscent of other classic sci-fi tales, it still seems mostly fresh and original. The actors all give decent performances in it, and the visuals are beautifully shot as well. The film succeeds at pretty much everything it sets out to do. Still I didn't love it, but I have no real complaints about it either.
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5/10
A rather dull love story with a thin sci-fi wrapping
SeriousMayhem18 April 2018
I went in blank not knowing what to expect. The movie seemed interesting at first, with lots of room for interesting plots. Then there's a big reveal (that comes way too soon) and what's left is a love story/action movie, a very boring one at that.

As a love story, I didn't find it particularly convincing. It comes out of nowhere and basically it's nothing more than having sex on a first date, with a virgin, that you haven't met before. So yeah, "love".

The movie then plods along for a while, trying to inject some "feels" and make you care for our two main characters. But this.. is.. done.. so slowly.. and in such an uninteresting way, that it completely fails to achieve it.

Nearing the end, we have some action scenes, which are very basic. By this time also, the main plot about why (and how) all of this is happening, has become pretty silly and unbelievable.

The ending itself is not entirely terrible, in the sense that they could have made it worse and I was totally expecting it to be worse.

Acting-wise, I'm not entirely sure how to rate it, since it was in Spanish and I had to go by the subs. The female lead seemed to do a decent job. The male lead appeared very wooden and not very charismatic, sporting a facial expression that can only be described as "apathetic" for most of his screentime.

All in all a forgettable movie. 4,5/10 - rounding it up to a very generous 5.
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romance. maybe.
Kirpianuscus27 August 2017
a nice film with a Sci.Fi. pretext, using clichés, a story with too many holes, sketches of acting and a generous theme who has no force to survive to the end. the premise is generous and the the first scenes - a good point. but, maybe, the real problem remains the absence of a clear perspective about the script. because, at the end, it is a kind of salad. moral dilemma, selfishness, a drawing of pink love story, an end who seems be generous improvisation for a project without clear sense. short, a strange film. or only expression of good intentions. because , except the desire to use too many subjects, it gives nothing else. except an easy love story, confuse, unrealistic and too modest to be interesting.
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7/10
An innovative and brooding Spanish/Colombian co-production Sci-Fi , well played and competently made
ma-cortes14 June 2021
"Orbita 9" is a sentimental story , including thoughful and disconcerting events about a girl named Helena : Clara Lago, locked at a space pod where she will join other colonists . There arrives a maintenance technician called Alex: Alex González to repair artifacts . Then , both of whom fall in love , resulting in fateful consequences . Love will set you Free : Amar Te Hará Libre .

Intelligent , adult Science-fiction thriller dealing with an "Amour Fou" between a girl and a scientist . Director usually uses focus on the faces and bodies of the starring to show the despair and unsettling happenings , adding adequate cinematography , stirring musical score and eliptical edition . A sensitive film with good casting , well played by Clara Lago as the young who spends her life in a space capsule and Alex González as a traumatized scientific by the ghosts of his own past and he meets on Helena his redemption while falling in love for her . Along with fine secondary cast as the nasty Hugo interpreted by Andrés Parra and the friendly scientist Silvia nicely performed by Belén Rueda .

It contains a moving and enjoyable musical score by Federico Jusid , this expert composer has musicalized notorious films as Neruda , The Secret in your Eyes, Life Itself , Loving Pablo , At the End of the Tunnel , Che Guevara . As well as colorful , adequate cinematography by Pau Esteve Birba who has photographed such important movies as Cannibal , Buried , Realive , The Awakening , Alpha, Out in the Open, among others . This innovative Sci-Fi motion picture was well directed by Hatem Khraiche who previously made some Shorts . Rating : 7/10 . Worthwhile watching. The flick will appeal to Alex González and Clara Lago fans.
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7/10
It's good... but... it could be better!
Scudester14 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I just watched this film on Netflix, I'm a Sci-Fi lover, so, I watched it. The film has a good story, that's a fact, but, the story itself has some "plot holes". I mean... Some things happened on the film that were too obvious. I'm going to say one: There's a part in witch Alex helps Helena to escape by doing some video footage of her doing the exact same thing on the "ship". It this happened in real life, there would be an warning of software breach/hacking. This was the most obvious plot hole... Ah! And the guy character Hugo was horrible on this acting. Just horrible!

On the scale 1/10 I've rated the film with a 7!

Cheers from Portugal, dear Spain!!
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4/10
I give the the first half a 6 the second half a 1 stars
nickups-0563716 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The beginning started off interesting but then after it was pure cliche you could guess every minute of what was going to happen next. The ending was again cliche they problem could've saved some money not even showing it they should've left it when they got back together and kissed.

I did like the idea of space and what they were trying to do but it was just that nothing more. They should've showed more depth to see what earth was trying to accomplish. I did notice they weren't trying to give too much detail of what earth was trying to do in the beginning but they made it seem like they were gonna eventually tell it later it a big cinematic way through media or a big reveal but nope.
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7/10
Space travel experiment gone awry
tlnelsn15 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The mere possibility of space travel and colonization of a distant world is simply a backdrop to this story of experimentation on human clones, really the only aspect of this story which can be accurately labeled as science fiction. Initially, it explores the effects of the isolation of simulated space travel on a human individual, albeit a human clone, revealed later. It's a bioethics thriller, similar, though on a smaller scale, to Ascension, a social experiment drama. At the climax, the question is how to deal with the rogue engineer who threatened to expose the project and the clone that he freed. I was expecting a less predictable ending than it has, so that cost it a couple of points. Otherwise, good acting, props and set design. Engaging plot.
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3/10
What an absolute gyp!
markmclews26 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not sure Sci-Fi movie makers really understand what their public wants, but it's not this!

Starts out fantastic, if not plausible' but still is entertaining!

Then it all goes downhill when Mr Mopey arrives with his tools to fix EVERY job.

The moment we find out that the spaceship is actually an earth ship, or more importantly an underground earth ship, is when the feeling of being cheated sets in!

We want movies set out there, in the cosmos, not down here on this crappy planet.

We want escape, not an underground bunker prison where some sicko has locked up a beautiful girl for their own self gratification!!!!!!!!!

Do better, the film is a gyp !
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7/10
It orbits just fine, but around a very small and fast moving first act
matris122 May 2023
The good: The film is competently made, and the plot is intriguing enough (not original) to justify its existence. Unfortunately, the movie spoils the intrigue, plus characters, concept and plot, all by itself.

The bad: The rushed first act let's this film down tremendously. It needed to spend more time with the main characters, give the audience time to settle in, believe in and experience the journey with them - but no, it zips through the act and expects the audience to accept the relationship status whilst the remainder of the movie continues off this rushed foundation.

Should you watch it: If you like indie Sci-Fis that end with a satisfying conclusion - you'll enjoy this. A shame as there is a fantastic movie within the constructs that the filmmakers didn't capitalise on.
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1/10
Infuriating
dnord20518 April 2018
This is the kind of movie that is so illogical that it infuriates you. I was more or less angry constantly. Seriously, spare yourself from this horrible experience.
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8/10
Raises many questions
arushanirvan7 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER: Behind the guise of sci-fi and romance, this movie is a horror of sorts, which is what I experienced when the plot twist was revealed. This raises many ethical questions which I find to be the very essence of the story. I valued this more for the discussions and debates it sparked than for the plot of effects. The theme felt very similar to the Netflix Brazilian Portuguese series 3% (which I absolutely loved). The romance was the driving force for the plot, but it felt very tacked on and slightly shallow. It did, however, make me wonder about the validity and depth of Helena's love when she fell in love with Alex simply because he was the only option. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for something for their brain to chew on.
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7/10
Interesting SF With a Reveal Which Comes Early.
Pairic15 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Orbital 9: Spanish Science Fiction Thriller.. Helena (Clara Lago) has spent her entire life on board a deep space starship, travelling to a new planet orbiting a distant star. Now 20, she will be 40 before she reaches her destination. Three years ago her parents sacrificed themselves after a fault in the oxygen system meant that only one of them could survive long enough for help to reach them.

Alex (Ales Gonzalez), a technician arrives by spacecraft and makes repairs, he seems distant but Alex succeeds in seducing him. When Alex leaves he exits it becomes clear that Helena is in an underground complex rather than a spaceship. The Earth is dying and this is just one of then similar "Orbiters" being used to test the possibility of sending humans to colonise a new world.

Alex now develops feelings for Helena and this will put the entire project at risk. He comes up against the chief scientist at the organisation which runs the installations and to free Helena he will have to take on not just him but literally the international Military-Industrial Complex..

Echoes of Ascension, Capricorn One and Soylent Green mesh in this Dystopia written and directed by Hatem Khraiche. 7/10. On Netflix.
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1/10
nothing special
Beni_McBeni18 October 2020
This movie got so boring i had to speed it up .... i was hoping the ending gonna save it but NOPE!!! ..just another trash movie
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