Monsters of the past never truly go away. The new film, “Sputnik,” explores its own scenarios surrounding human nature and the creatures we try to keep at bay. This time, duality is at the heart of a retro narrative as a young psychologist chases her destiny while dealing with one special patient pushed to the brink of madness.
Set in 1983, the project firmly positions itself during the Cold War and a lingering race for supremacy in space. As a Russian cosmonaut crew returns to Earth, their mission is hidden and its results purposely misconstrued to protect a deadly secret. Only one crew member survives, carrying with him an unwanted passenger that only comes out at night. What results is her quest to understand the connection between man and extraterrestrial, all while battling a government intent on manipulation.
Of course, genre fare is nothing new to the country, but it has seen a period of growth among the international film community thanks to a few select titles; Timur Bekmambetov’s excellent entries “Night Watch” and “Day Watch” leading the way. Both built up a fanbase for Russia’s subsequent horror and sci-fi offerings, creating the perfect conditions for “Sputnik,” directed by Egor Abramenko.
“Sputnik” arrives in select theaters as well as digital platforms and cable VOD on August 14th. Oksana Akinshina, Pyotr Fyodorov, Fedor Bondarchuk, and Anton Vasilev star. Watch the film’s first trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
Due to her controversial methods, young doctor Tatiana Yurievna (Oksana Akinshina, Lilya 4-Ever) is on the precipice of losing her medical license. Her career may not be over, though. After she’s recruited by the military, Tatiana is brought to a secure science research facility to assess a very special case, that of Konstantin Sergeyevich (Pyotr Fyodorov, The Darkest Hour), a cosmonaut who survived a mysterious space accident and has returned to Earth with a unique condition: there’s something living inside of him that only shows itself late at night. The military has nefarious plans for it. Tatiana wants to stop it from killing Konstantin. And the creature itself thrives on destruction.
