Oh! This is Awesome. It kept me hooked whole time. Though it gives me the ''Buried'' vibe at first, it is totally different. It is something unique. A science fiction movie within a box yet this builds suspense enough to keep an eye on. And the actress did a amazing job, of course,this movie mostly depends on her convincing acting skills.
326 Reviews
Kept on hook
pranayjalvi12 May 2021
Oxygen was a decent movie, not great. Melanie Laurent was amazing and so was the effects and the cinematography. Background music and the storytelling could have been a bit better if it had dug deep into the life of the main character.
This Netflix original movie is a one time watch, but won't disappoint. The ending was quite impressive and it kept me guessing till the very end.
My Rating : 3.5/5.
This Netflix original movie is a one time watch, but won't disappoint. The ending was quite impressive and it kept me guessing till the very end.
My Rating : 3.5/5.
ClaustrO2phO2bic...
Xstal13 May 2021
Far from pure, but don't let that contain you or hold you in, as this story of a woman reawakening in a cryogenic capsule with the breathable air rapidly depleting will have you pinned to your seat throughout, unable to escape, while conjuring a plethora of finales, endings and conclusions - any number of which quite plausible, however...
Tight, inventive script and a superb Melanie Laurent
ABCloverLane12 May 2021
Oxygen might be Alexandre Aja's best movie to date.
It's a one man show, or in this case, a one woman show, as Melanie Laurent delivers a performance worthy of praise as an amnesiac who awakens in a cryopod and tries to figure out how she got there and how she can escape with the help of the AI assisstant MILO. The movie's plot is reminiscent of Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds, only this time we're dealing with a high-concept idea that cannot be mentioned without spoiling the movie.
What I liked the most about this movie is that throughout its entire runtime, it never once loses steam and is able to hold the attention of the viewer. Although it's set almost entirely in one location, the script always finds ingenious elements to keep the plot going and oftentimes it reaches that nail-biting tension the viewers expect from a sci-fi thriller like this.
Melanie Laurent is entirely up to task and she carries this movie effortlessly. Her character's discoveries about her past, present and future offer moments that showcase her immense talent of making us care for a character that we, like the character itself, know nothing about.
The direction from Alexandre Aja is never boring and he uses smart camera tricks to maintain tension and suspense. There's always a sense of engagement with the plot that Aja crafts masterfully, although some plot reveals are a little bit convenient and they come exactly when you expect them to.
Overall, I thought Oxygen benefits from an inventive and well-written script, Aja's tight direction, and of course, Melanie Laurent's performance, who carries the entire movie on her shoulders.
It's a one man show, or in this case, a one woman show, as Melanie Laurent delivers a performance worthy of praise as an amnesiac who awakens in a cryopod and tries to figure out how she got there and how she can escape with the help of the AI assisstant MILO. The movie's plot is reminiscent of Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds, only this time we're dealing with a high-concept idea that cannot be mentioned without spoiling the movie.
What I liked the most about this movie is that throughout its entire runtime, it never once loses steam and is able to hold the attention of the viewer. Although it's set almost entirely in one location, the script always finds ingenious elements to keep the plot going and oftentimes it reaches that nail-biting tension the viewers expect from a sci-fi thriller like this.
Melanie Laurent is entirely up to task and she carries this movie effortlessly. Her character's discoveries about her past, present and future offer moments that showcase her immense talent of making us care for a character that we, like the character itself, know nothing about.
The direction from Alexandre Aja is never boring and he uses smart camera tricks to maintain tension and suspense. There's always a sense of engagement with the plot that Aja crafts masterfully, although some plot reveals are a little bit convenient and they come exactly when you expect them to.
Overall, I thought Oxygen benefits from an inventive and well-written script, Aja's tight direction, and of course, Melanie Laurent's performance, who carries the entire movie on her shoulders.
An above average Netflix offering
eddie_baggins11 June 2021
Making a name for himself in the horror field with the likes of High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D and Crawl, French director Alexandre Aja takes a different route with his newest outing Oxygen, with this Netflix acquired claustrophobic thriller a more dialed back affair for the boundary pushing director who even showcases a much softer side to himself than his shown previously.
Taking the Buried/Devil approach to proceedings as we spend Oxygen's 100 minute runtime confined to a life supporting medical pod with Melanie Laurent's Liz, who has awoken with no memories of who she is or how she came to be stuck in the pod with a quickly dwindling supply of air, Aja's well-filmed ride may not always be the pulse-pounding thriller it wants to be but thanks to some inventive directing and a committed leading lady, this sweat inducing ride will keep you engaged throughout.
Starting off relatively slowly, with us and Liz trying to figure things out and wondering why we should care for her plight to survive with nothing more than an A. I computer known as MILO to help her, Oxygen does start to ramp things up around the half way mark with more knowledge about what is going on and how Liz came to be found in such a predicament helping the film out in a big way as we all of a sudden start to ride every bump and fall with Liz as her oxygen dwindles and her quest to survive feels more pressing with every passing second.
With strong visuals (and a scene that will go down as one of the years best as we catch a glimpse of Liz's external surrounds), a great score by Robin Coudert and some neat little horror throwbacks from its director, Oxygen feels like a polished and professional offering and a level above other similar Netflix released offerings, ensuring that its high concept idea is bought to life in a strong and satisfying way.
It's not too say the film is able to reach the highs of some of its other similar counterparts, there are numerous moments where the film feels bogged down by repetitive situations and stretches of unengaging scenarios but despite not being able to reach grand heights, Oxygen is a thriller worth checking out and a nice example of Alexandre Aja trying his hand at something a little different from his usual staple.
Final Say -
Ramping up in its latter stages and featuring a great central turn from its leading lady, Oxygen is a solid thriller that might not grip you through its entirety but has enough solid moments to make it worth your time.
3 lab rats out of 5.
Taking the Buried/Devil approach to proceedings as we spend Oxygen's 100 minute runtime confined to a life supporting medical pod with Melanie Laurent's Liz, who has awoken with no memories of who she is or how she came to be stuck in the pod with a quickly dwindling supply of air, Aja's well-filmed ride may not always be the pulse-pounding thriller it wants to be but thanks to some inventive directing and a committed leading lady, this sweat inducing ride will keep you engaged throughout.
Starting off relatively slowly, with us and Liz trying to figure things out and wondering why we should care for her plight to survive with nothing more than an A. I computer known as MILO to help her, Oxygen does start to ramp things up around the half way mark with more knowledge about what is going on and how Liz came to be found in such a predicament helping the film out in a big way as we all of a sudden start to ride every bump and fall with Liz as her oxygen dwindles and her quest to survive feels more pressing with every passing second.
With strong visuals (and a scene that will go down as one of the years best as we catch a glimpse of Liz's external surrounds), a great score by Robin Coudert and some neat little horror throwbacks from its director, Oxygen feels like a polished and professional offering and a level above other similar Netflix released offerings, ensuring that its high concept idea is bought to life in a strong and satisfying way.
It's not too say the film is able to reach the highs of some of its other similar counterparts, there are numerous moments where the film feels bogged down by repetitive situations and stretches of unengaging scenarios but despite not being able to reach grand heights, Oxygen is a thriller worth checking out and a nice example of Alexandre Aja trying his hand at something a little different from his usual staple.
Final Say -
Ramping up in its latter stages and featuring a great central turn from its leading lady, Oxygen is a solid thriller that might not grip you through its entirety but has enough solid moments to make it worth your time.
3 lab rats out of 5.
Very enjoyable with a great central performance
Orlando_Gardner12 May 2021
I went in to this film knowing nothing about it and that's probably the best way to watch it. There is nothing new in Oxygene, most of it rethreads old ground but as it's story unfolds it remains engaging from start to finished. This is greatly helped by Melanie Laurent's fantastic central performance. Pretty good story, lovely visuals and score and, as I said previously, a great central performance elevate what could have been mediocre fare to some decent sci-fi with a nice emotional payoff. Well worth your time.
Brilliant acting and lot of suspense
laura-murgia12 May 2021
What I loved about this movie was the uncertainty of where the movie was going to. Where is the pod? Who is she? Will she get out? It makes you committed to keep watching! This movie reminded me of the movie 'Cube' another brilliant movie!
Interesting...
Thanos_Alfie29 October 2021
"Oxygen" is a Drama - Sci-Fi movie in which we watch a woman waking up in a cryogenic chamber without remembering anything from her life or even who she is. She has to remember fast because her oxygen level is dropping rapidly and there is not much time.
Despite the simple plot of the movie, it was very interesting and it had much of suspense through its whole duration. The direction which was made by Alexandre Aja was very good and he presented very well the whole concept of the movie and the main idea behind his main character. In addition to this, the interpretation of Mélanie Laurent who played as Elizabeth 'Liz' Hansen was simply amazing and she made the difference. The selection of Mathieu Amalric as voice of M. I. L. O. was an excellent choice and fitted very well. All in all, I have to say that "Oxygen" is an interesting Sci-Fi movie and I highly recommend everyone to watch it.
Despite the simple plot of the movie, it was very interesting and it had much of suspense through its whole duration. The direction which was made by Alexandre Aja was very good and he presented very well the whole concept of the movie and the main idea behind his main character. In addition to this, the interpretation of Mélanie Laurent who played as Elizabeth 'Liz' Hansen was simply amazing and she made the difference. The selection of Mathieu Amalric as voice of M. I. L. O. was an excellent choice and fitted very well. All in all, I have to say that "Oxygen" is an interesting Sci-Fi movie and I highly recommend everyone to watch it.
Surprisingly good.
billybizar14 May 2021
Can't believe the relatively low rating score of 6.4. Some people are really hard to please. Just take it for what it is: an entertaining B-movie with a fine performance by Laurent, unpredictable twists and turns, cool effects, attractive photography and a recognazible musical theme. I hate it when people give one or two stars only because the script is apparently not 100 % foolproof and ignores the obvious, cinematic qualities.
Wait for the end!
toddcha12 May 2021
Frankly I don't think this movie is that bad. The real down side is it lacks frequent excitement and you have to wait until the end.
If you are looking for high tech, then it won't meet your expectation.
To be honest, this movie is as high tech as the avengers, or is as not sci-fi as the avenges is not.
Try to finish this movie when you are awake otherwise you probably will feel it boring.
If you are looking for high tech, then it won't meet your expectation.
To be honest, this movie is as high tech as the avengers, or is as not sci-fi as the avenges is not.
Try to finish this movie when you are awake otherwise you probably will feel it boring.
Interesting
kerrysimpson-6275512 May 2021
Epic story, excellent acting, essential weaknesses
hgmichna15 December 2022
The story idea is great. The acting by the heroine is excellent. The movie keeps viewers on their toes.
However, it does this only by revealing the epic truth very slowly, and in large parts only creates tension by the heroine acting irrationally and thereby creating problems on the side that do not make the story any richer.
Another weakness is that, looking at the entire story, the movie only tells one of the least interesting parts of it. It picks one early phase of the epic story and even there dwells only on a very particular, inessential fault.
Then the movie stops short of the most interesting following phase, except for a few seconds at the very end. This, for me, is frustrating. At least five or ten minutes of subsequent events, i.e. Showing the fruits of the whole effort, would make the movie much more satisfying. I think, if a movie has a happy ending, it might as well show it in full glory.
I noticed a few unintelligible details, so perhaps the entire story was not told in a fully intelligible way. If so, then that would constitute another weakness.
However, it does this only by revealing the epic truth very slowly, and in large parts only creates tension by the heroine acting irrationally and thereby creating problems on the side that do not make the story any richer.
Another weakness is that, looking at the entire story, the movie only tells one of the least interesting parts of it. It picks one early phase of the epic story and even there dwells only on a very particular, inessential fault.
Then the movie stops short of the most interesting following phase, except for a few seconds at the very end. This, for me, is frustrating. At least five or ten minutes of subsequent events, i.e. Showing the fruits of the whole effort, would make the movie much more satisfying. I think, if a movie has a happy ending, it might as well show it in full glory.
I noticed a few unintelligible details, so perhaps the entire story was not told in a fully intelligible way. If so, then that would constitute another weakness.
A tense, taught sci-fi thriller
dmansel23 January 2022
A young woman wakes up in a medical cryo unit. She doesn't remember who she is or how she ended up sequestered in a box no larger than a coffin. That's the opening to Oxygen, Netflix's latest offering in the science fiction genre that tends to be very hit-or-miss with the gargantuan streaming service. Pulling off an entire film set within what could be described as a futuristic box is a bold move from director Alexandre Aja, who's best known for his ventures into various horror genres. With a tight, smart script from screenwriter Christie LeBlanc, Oxygen moves at a delightfully quick place, feeding viewers twists and surprises every few minutes. In a time where an audience's hand can be quick to drift to their phone during a slow moment, one of the film's strongest points is the rate at which the twists and reveals are unveiled. Oxygen is an onion of a movie, surprisingly layered with enough intrigue that the viewers can simultaneously root for our protagonist to both solve the mystery of what's happened to her and discover a fresh source of air.
The woman's only constant throughout this movie is MILO, the on board computer that remains maddeningly calm in the most stressful of situations. Neither friend nor foe, MILO exists only to answer what questions his programming will allow him to. MILO kick starts the film informing the woman she has only 33% oxygen remaining. From there, with no sense of her past, her identity, or her current location, the woman has to defy a number of brilliantly placed obstacles to survive. Intercut throughout all this are clever flashbacks to what little memories she can conjure that at times do more to confuse her than assist.
All praises due to Melanie Laurent. Mostly known to western audiences for films like Inglorious Basterds and Enemy, Laurent is center stage here as our protagonist desperate for answers before her air supply runs out. Laurent deftly maneuvers through a number of extreme emotions that range from despair and anger to joy and triumph. Due largely in part to Laurent's acting, the audience is along for the ride as she works to discover who she is and how she's ended up in this situation. She commands the screen with a captivating performance that conveys the panic and claustrophobia while being largely unable to move due to her confinements.
Directed by Alexandre Aja, the horror director brings a sense of dread and hopelessness to Oxygen, mining the terror of being trapped in an enclosed space and almost completely cut off from communication. Still, thanks to cinematographer Maxime Alexandre, the camerawork is dynamic, using every inch of the small space to give viewers scope and purpose as Laurent's character endeavors to search for clues. Oxygen is superbly edited as well, moving at the perfect pace to drop yet another scrap of information just as the audience thinks they might have an idea as to what's happening. The constant reminder of a dwindling air supply serves as a ticking clock to keep the tension running high from the very opening to the end credits.
Overall, Oxygen is a tense, taught sci-fi thriller that excels in pacing and doling out information to the audience. A story that transpires almost completely in one enclosed location, Laurent's acting and Aja's direction both serve to keep the audience gripped and compelled throughout. None of the reveals feels contrived; each twist and turn is well earned and a genuine shock. A one woman tour-de-force, Laurent's performance keeps the audience rooting for her the entire time as she fumbles her way closer to fully realizing her situation. At 101 minutes, this movie is perfect for a Friday night, phones off, with as few distractions as possible (but maybe a few friends to theorize with, if possible). Of the dozens of low to mid budget sci-fi projects released by Netflix, this film is certainly a breath of fresh air. Oxygen is released May 12th on Netflix.
The woman's only constant throughout this movie is MILO, the on board computer that remains maddeningly calm in the most stressful of situations. Neither friend nor foe, MILO exists only to answer what questions his programming will allow him to. MILO kick starts the film informing the woman she has only 33% oxygen remaining. From there, with no sense of her past, her identity, or her current location, the woman has to defy a number of brilliantly placed obstacles to survive. Intercut throughout all this are clever flashbacks to what little memories she can conjure that at times do more to confuse her than assist.
All praises due to Melanie Laurent. Mostly known to western audiences for films like Inglorious Basterds and Enemy, Laurent is center stage here as our protagonist desperate for answers before her air supply runs out. Laurent deftly maneuvers through a number of extreme emotions that range from despair and anger to joy and triumph. Due largely in part to Laurent's acting, the audience is along for the ride as she works to discover who she is and how she's ended up in this situation. She commands the screen with a captivating performance that conveys the panic and claustrophobia while being largely unable to move due to her confinements.
Directed by Alexandre Aja, the horror director brings a sense of dread and hopelessness to Oxygen, mining the terror of being trapped in an enclosed space and almost completely cut off from communication. Still, thanks to cinematographer Maxime Alexandre, the camerawork is dynamic, using every inch of the small space to give viewers scope and purpose as Laurent's character endeavors to search for clues. Oxygen is superbly edited as well, moving at the perfect pace to drop yet another scrap of information just as the audience thinks they might have an idea as to what's happening. The constant reminder of a dwindling air supply serves as a ticking clock to keep the tension running high from the very opening to the end credits.
Overall, Oxygen is a tense, taught sci-fi thriller that excels in pacing and doling out information to the audience. A story that transpires almost completely in one enclosed location, Laurent's acting and Aja's direction both serve to keep the audience gripped and compelled throughout. None of the reveals feels contrived; each twist and turn is well earned and a genuine shock. A one woman tour-de-force, Laurent's performance keeps the audience rooting for her the entire time as she fumbles her way closer to fully realizing her situation. At 101 minutes, this movie is perfect for a Friday night, phones off, with as few distractions as possible (but maybe a few friends to theorize with, if possible). Of the dozens of low to mid budget sci-fi projects released by Netflix, this film is certainly a breath of fresh air. Oxygen is released May 12th on Netflix.
Provides just enough oxygen to be enjoyable
matris115 October 2023
The good: The plot/promise is simple, but the movie does a lot with a little. The engaging performance of the lead coupled with a trickle feed of twists and turns help the movie clip along at a brisk pace considering the very limited set pieces. The movie doesn't try to subvert expectations of the genre and just plays to its strengths, based off its premise/hook.
The bad: The movie does broach some meaty subject matter but does absolutely nothing with it. I don't blame the creators but don't expect any poignant introspects into the human psyche. This movie plays it straight and narrow. I also have to call out some logic/plot holes which are obviously there to push the story forward (create conflict) but took me out of the film.
Should you watch it: Lately, I'm leaning more towards shorter movies as I dislike scenes that are superfluous and add nothing to the film but a bloated runtime. This is not one of those movies. At just over 1.5 hours the movie concludes satisfactorily and is a decent enough trip for those who are fans of the mystery/sci fi genre.
The bad: The movie does broach some meaty subject matter but does absolutely nothing with it. I don't blame the creators but don't expect any poignant introspects into the human psyche. This movie plays it straight and narrow. I also have to call out some logic/plot holes which are obviously there to push the story forward (create conflict) but took me out of the film.
Should you watch it: Lately, I'm leaning more towards shorter movies as I dislike scenes that are superfluous and add nothing to the film but a bloated runtime. This is not one of those movies. At just over 1.5 hours the movie concludes satisfactorily and is a decent enough trip for those who are fans of the mystery/sci fi genre.
Poorly manufactured drama
El_Jefe16 May 2021
The movie manufactures ALL of its drama by withholding information. That's a cheap trick, and that's all this movie does.
Once you know what's going on, information is STILL pointlessly withheld, solely to generate drama. I mean, literally EVERY SINGLE discovery or deduction makes you think, "wait, why didn't they just say that in the first place?" The entire plot of this movie could have been avoided with a simple infographic pasted to the inside of the hibernation chamber.
This isn't science fiction. It's pointless information disparity. Go watch Moon instead.
Once you know what's going on, information is STILL pointlessly withheld, solely to generate drama. I mean, literally EVERY SINGLE discovery or deduction makes you think, "wait, why didn't they just say that in the first place?" The entire plot of this movie could have been avoided with a simple infographic pasted to the inside of the hibernation chamber.
This isn't science fiction. It's pointless information disparity. Go watch Moon instead.
Engaging performance
akonaludidi12 May 2021
Oxygen is a Netflix sci-fi thriller directed by Alexandra Aja.
Melanie Laurent carried this one scene, one actress movie beautifully. The movie opens with the main character waking up inside a cryogenic pod with no recollection of who she is or how she ended up there. Her only ally is the AI, MILO, manning the chamber.
The first act is mainly Liz (the MC) freaking out, trying to remember who she is and how she got into this predicament. The second act is filled with impending gloom as she realises that she's quickly expanding her oxygen supplies yet has no means of escape. These were the most thrilling and engaging aspects of the movie because we experienced the frustration, claustrophobia and fear along with Liz. The cinematography does a great job of emphasising this claustrophobic environment as well as capturing the futuristic pod.
The let down is in the third act for me, I thought it fell a little flat from what was promised. Regardless, it kept me on my toes the entire time.
Melanie Laurent carried this one scene, one actress movie beautifully. The movie opens with the main character waking up inside a cryogenic pod with no recollection of who she is or how she ended up there. Her only ally is the AI, MILO, manning the chamber.
The first act is mainly Liz (the MC) freaking out, trying to remember who she is and how she got into this predicament. The second act is filled with impending gloom as she realises that she's quickly expanding her oxygen supplies yet has no means of escape. These were the most thrilling and engaging aspects of the movie because we experienced the frustration, claustrophobia and fear along with Liz. The cinematography does a great job of emphasising this claustrophobic environment as well as capturing the futuristic pod.
The let down is in the third act for me, I thought it fell a little flat from what was promised. Regardless, it kept me on my toes the entire time.
A taut mystery horror/thriller that goes off in surprising directions!
bob-the-movie-man29 May 2021
In "Oxygen" Liz Hansen (Mélanie Laurent) wakes up in a sealed chamber with no memory of why she is there or how she got there. Her only "companion" is 'Milo': the Alexa-like operating system for the chamber. Milo helpfully advises her that her oxygen supply is already down below 40%, and falling. Can she piece together her swiss-cheese brain to find a way out of her predicament?
Positives:
Negatives:
Warnings: I occasionally stick into my reviews 'viewer advisories'. You won't need me to comment that this one will be a no-no for anyone suffering from claustrophobia. But I will add to that, since it's not obvious, that this is a movie that is also not suitable for musophobics: those with a fear of mice. Also, IMDB describes this one as "Drama, Fantasy, Sci-fi". Not Horror. But be warned that there are some genuinely effective jump scares in this one!
Summary Thoughts on "Oxygen": You can recognize a 'lockdown-produced movie' a mile off. Typically it focuses on a handful of players, who are mostly socially isolated. Here is a classic example. Yet by doing that, the director is forced to focus in on character and dialogue. As such, some of these 'small' movies that rein in the director's excesses are far better as a result.
"Oxygen" is a case in point. When I saw that the film was directed by Alexandre Aja - the man behind the OTT "Piranha 3D" and the equally OTT popcorn-croc movie "Crawl" from 2 years ago, I feared the worst. But this an intriguing little movie that mystifies and jolts in equal measure. There is probably no such thing anymore as a truly novel thriller or science fiction film. And this draws recognisably from a host of other movies: I personally recognised elements from "Room", "Solaris", "Moon" and "Gravity" in there. But the closest similarity is definitely to the Ryan Reynolds 2010 thriller "Buried" which features a very similar initial set-up. If "Oxygen" were to have pulled out an ending like that film (if you haven't watched it yet - do so!) that it would have been a mini-classic.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies on the web or Facebook. Thanks).
Positives:
- No spoilers here, but this is a 'small' mystery movie that goes off in a VERY surprising direction. The script is genuinely unpredictable.
- Mélanie Laurent gives a strong performance as the heroine near the end of her tether.
- Although this is a French film, don't let that put you off. Netflix gives options of the original French, French with subtitles and an English dub. And the English dubbing is so good that it took me until some sub-titles for text written in French before I realised it was dubbed!
Negatives:
- After the long drip-drip-drip of context, I found the ending to be something of a disappointment. Too twee.
- I found something morally dubious about the 're-routing' request near the end of the movie. (Although, I'm sure given the options, I would probably do the same!)
- If you don't like jump scares, you are likely to spill a lot of hot drinks while watching this one!
Warnings: I occasionally stick into my reviews 'viewer advisories'. You won't need me to comment that this one will be a no-no for anyone suffering from claustrophobia. But I will add to that, since it's not obvious, that this is a movie that is also not suitable for musophobics: those with a fear of mice. Also, IMDB describes this one as "Drama, Fantasy, Sci-fi". Not Horror. But be warned that there are some genuinely effective jump scares in this one!
Summary Thoughts on "Oxygen": You can recognize a 'lockdown-produced movie' a mile off. Typically it focuses on a handful of players, who are mostly socially isolated. Here is a classic example. Yet by doing that, the director is forced to focus in on character and dialogue. As such, some of these 'small' movies that rein in the director's excesses are far better as a result.
"Oxygen" is a case in point. When I saw that the film was directed by Alexandre Aja - the man behind the OTT "Piranha 3D" and the equally OTT popcorn-croc movie "Crawl" from 2 years ago, I feared the worst. But this an intriguing little movie that mystifies and jolts in equal measure. There is probably no such thing anymore as a truly novel thriller or science fiction film. And this draws recognisably from a host of other movies: I personally recognised elements from "Room", "Solaris", "Moon" and "Gravity" in there. But the closest similarity is definitely to the Ryan Reynolds 2010 thriller "Buried" which features a very similar initial set-up. If "Oxygen" were to have pulled out an ending like that film (if you haven't watched it yet - do so!) that it would have been a mini-classic.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies on the web or Facebook. Thanks).
Good claustrophobic sci-fi
Tweekums19 May 2021
As this film opens a woman wakes in an airtight medical cryogenic chamber. She has no idea who she is or how she got there... or even where 'there' is. The unit is controlled by an artificial intelligence called MILO; this informs her that due to an unspecified problem she is rapidly running out of oxygen. If she is to survive she will have to recover enough of her memories to learn about the situation she is in... and avoid some of MILO's attempts to make her little remaining time more comfortable.
Going into this film I'd say the less you know the better; there are some good twists and it is best one learns facts at the same time as our protagonist. The film is, apart from a few brief flashbacks, set almost entirely within the cramped pod; this gives an impressively claustrophobic feel to proceedings. The more we learn the greater the sense of hopelessness. Mélanie Laurent does a really fine job as our protagonist; you can feel both her anguish, fear and occasional optimism as situations change. The inside of the pod is well designed; large enough for some movement but not enough for full movement. Overall a solid film for sci-fi fans who don't demand lots of action.
These comments are based on watching the film in French with English subtitles.
Going into this film I'd say the less you know the better; there are some good twists and it is best one learns facts at the same time as our protagonist. The film is, apart from a few brief flashbacks, set almost entirely within the cramped pod; this gives an impressively claustrophobic feel to proceedings. The more we learn the greater the sense of hopelessness. Mélanie Laurent does a really fine job as our protagonist; you can feel both her anguish, fear and occasional optimism as situations change. The inside of the pod is well designed; large enough for some movement but not enough for full movement. Overall a solid film for sci-fi fans who don't demand lots of action.
These comments are based on watching the film in French with English subtitles.
if you want a soliloquy, read Shakespeare -- it will eat up less of your time
mschell-112 May 2021
Basically this is a one-woman, one-act play with occasional "discoveries" thrown in to keep audience attention when the heroine isn't shouting or screaming. Some of the timeline is awry, not only the inconsistent pacing of oxygen depletion but also the duration of her cryo state. Can't reveal more without spoilers.
Excellent from start to finish
rpremio-4820013 May 2021
What a great movie. Watched it not knowing anything about it and I was hooked the entire time. I didn't want it to end. Mélanie Laurent's performance was stunning and hopefully award worthy. Ignore the reviews and watch it.
Unexpectedly surprising
ekimmichael10 July 2021
Oxygen is the kind of movie you start and will find something exhausting maybe but if you dig into sci-fi just keep going you won't regret your time. The taste will gradually unfold and will ultimately leave you with a wonderful aftertaste of reflection, wondering and fullness.
I think it's one of the most beautiful screenplay of 2021 and it fits completely in our post pandemic recuperation. Plus it felt nothing like the classical French movie if you watch it in English you might even think it's an American movie so congratulations are in order for the French cause their last, Sentinelle, was really exhausting. Plus Oxygen gives us an exquisite glimpse in Turing questioning about man and computer, yeah you have to watch it to know what I'm talking about and maybe Imitation Game too.
It's the absolute genius of storytelling with a great development and evolution of situation where you're automatically put in character, with the sensation of living the exact situation and will inevitably try to solve the puzzle with the main character just to find out you'd be totally lost if it was really you ahah. Not to mention the production design was really basic....
I'd totally recommend this movie for family time, date or to spend some time alone..
I think it's one of the most beautiful screenplay of 2021 and it fits completely in our post pandemic recuperation. Plus it felt nothing like the classical French movie if you watch it in English you might even think it's an American movie so congratulations are in order for the French cause their last, Sentinelle, was really exhausting. Plus Oxygen gives us an exquisite glimpse in Turing questioning about man and computer, yeah you have to watch it to know what I'm talking about and maybe Imitation Game too.
It's the absolute genius of storytelling with a great development and evolution of situation where you're automatically put in character, with the sensation of living the exact situation and will inevitably try to solve the puzzle with the main character just to find out you'd be totally lost if it was really you ahah. Not to mention the production design was really basic....
I'd totally recommend this movie for family time, date or to spend some time alone..
Sci fi thriller that suspends the audience into a claustrophobic fear.
cruise011 June 2021
3 out of 5 stars.
Oxygen is a fair science fiction thriller film about Liz (Melanie Laurent) who wakes up in a cryo pod with no memory. No idea how she got there. And a defective pod that is limited on oxygen. While she tries to discover how she got there. And how she can escape it.
What worked? The plot is decent which tried to keep a mystery. It gives a brief backstory on Liz. And some brief moments of the events that is happening before she got in the pod. There is a twist which was pretty neat. And shocking.
Melanie Laurent did a good job with her performance.
The music score was okay. Its claustrophobic direction was good.
What did not work?
The film was short with where it went. Spending the whole movie in a cryo pod. Which did get boring after a while. And it did get slow which was being short on thrills.
Oxygen is a fair science fiction thriller film about Liz (Melanie Laurent) who wakes up in a cryo pod with no memory. No idea how she got there. And a defective pod that is limited on oxygen. While she tries to discover how she got there. And how she can escape it.
What worked? The plot is decent which tried to keep a mystery. It gives a brief backstory on Liz. And some brief moments of the events that is happening before she got in the pod. There is a twist which was pretty neat. And shocking.
Melanie Laurent did a good job with her performance.
The music score was okay. Its claustrophobic direction was good.
What did not work?
The film was short with where it went. Spending the whole movie in a cryo pod. Which did get boring after a while. And it did get slow which was being short on thrills.
Believable
Gordon-1123 May 2021
A potential masterpiece ruined by director's insecurity
himmelsvid16 May 2021
Apart from some logical mistakes it could have actually been a modern sci-fi classic. Intense and beautiful, with many classical sci-fi elements. And very unusual for a sci-finto be french! Although, the last 10 seconds literally made the rating drop from 9 to 7. In one sense i actually even think those last 10 seconds pretty much destroyed the movie entirely so maybe to be fair, it shouldve gotten max 5. But everything up to the last seconds was superb so I cant help myself to give it 7. Anyway, a perfect example of a unexperienced director that is so unsecure so that he/she feels the need to state something which is already obvious and already communicated, but in the cheeziest, most Hollywood B-movie way imaginable.
1 time is enough
xxxxxdarkmoon8 June 2021
It's a science fiction movie with not a ton of action, but there is some tension. And it's a new, interesting story. The lead actor plays a woman in panic mode, with increasing hysteria. And she is doing that job pretty well, after about 1 hour it started to annoy me watching her. And there is another problem. The entire movie I was wondering, why on earth did the filmmakers decide to pick the actor who plays Leo. Why that actor? The look of that actor doesn't fit into the role at all. And he doesn't have to speak a word. So why him? There must be some strange and secret reason behind it that only the filmmakers know. All in all, this is a science fiction movie one can watch 1 time.
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