Tense Sci-Fi Thriller Is The Ultimate R-Rated Extinction Event You Missed Robert Scucci Sun, November 9, 2025 at 8:40 PM UTC 4 min read Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways There’s nothing lonelier than the deepest, darkest depths of outer space, especially when you’re on a years-long mission away from everything you love back on planet Earth. 2019’s 3022 pushes this isolated terror into new territory when the astronauts heading toward Jupiter’s moon, Europa, learn that Earth has been destroyed, meaning there’s no way to ever go back home. A taut and tense sci-fi flick that doubles as a survival thriller, 3022 is a claustrophobic, existential exercise in paranoia that captures how this exact situation breaks down social order and the individuals scrambling to figure out how to survive their mission, knowing they now have a one-way ticket to Europa. A thoughtful, low-budget entry that explores the human condition through the lens of prolonged isolation, 3022 works thanks to its strong leads and their willingness to commit to the fallout presented on screen. Distressing but strangely optimistic, 3022 searches for answers and solutions where there are none, and in this case, the journey is so much more important than the destination. A Crew On The Verge Of Breaking Down Angus Macfadyen as Richard Valin in 3022 (2019) 3022 centers on Pangea’s four crew members: Captain John Laine (Omar Epps), engineer Jackie Miller (Kate Walsh), doctor Richard Valin (Angus Macfadyen), and crew member Lisa Brown (Miranda Cosgrove). Five years into their mission to Europa One, Earth’s first space colony in the year 2190, Dr. Valin arrives at the conclusion that the crew’s deteriorating mental health will compromise the mission and suggests that they abort before reaching the point of no return. As the rest of the crew comes to terms with the fact that their careers are effectively over, a massive shockwave damages their ship, and they lose all radio contact with Earth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fearing the worst, Dr. Valin suspects there is no Earth to go back to, putting the already worn-down crew in a worse predicament. They’re likely unable to finish their mission or return home and will eventually run out of oxygen and supplies. Losing track of time entirely, the surviving crew members live like this for what feels like forever, but it’s impossible to know how long they’ve been drifting through space without any contact. On the verge of consuming suicide pills to preemptively end their mission, John and Jackie spot another spacecraft in the distance and take in a group of astronauts from the International Space Station, who soon prove to be a strain on their already limited resources. Maybe The Antagonist Is The Crew Members We Lose Along The Way As straightforward as 3022’s story is, I found myself losing interest from time to time because there is no clear antagonist. Sure, some crewmembers become increasingly unstable, and third-act character introductions add a level of drama and suspense to the premise, but there’s no inherent evil at play here. There’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t expect an alien overlord or hostile takeover. The real breakdown in 3022 is among the crew members, who all share the same goal but lack the means or mental stability to see it through. Jackie is grieving her lost family, John is plagued with night terrors and hallucinations , and the rescued crew members are looking out for their own best interests, which creates tension, but the exact kind of tension you’d expect from an unprecedented situation like this. Leans Into Its Limitations Certainly, nothing could possibly go wrong here! For its low budget, which hasn’t been publicly reported but leans toward limited, I was impressed by the set pieces for Pangea’s interior, as well as the wide establishing shots showing just how small humanity is in the grand scheme of things. Lighting and sound design add to the suspense without feeling forced, and for what it is, 3022 delivers the feeling it’s trying to evoke: fear born from extended periods of isolation. A tight 90-minute watch that’s occasionally nice to look at, 3022 isn’t going to change your life, but it’s a solid vibe piece to throw on when you’re in the mood for atmospheric sci-fi. As of this writing, you can stream it on Tubi. Advertisement Source: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/tense-sci-fi-thriller-ultimate-204028920.html