The Austrian sci-fi thriller RUBIKON is brand-new. However, because the cast is so diverse, English is used most often. Additionally, the story takes place in a kind of international space station where English is spoken by most people.

IFC is releasing this sci-fi film from Austria, which, as we have frequently stated, is a sign of high caliber. Never do things go really awful. Definitely not in terms of acting, production value, or style as a whole. The narrative, however, is a quite different matter. Furthermore, I don't particularly like the turn that this one takes.

Almost the whole action of Rubikon takes place on one international space station. The (very close) future is now. a future in which governments have been replaced by corporations and nations are no longer relevant. Large portions of the world are instead governed and regulated by companies.

So, you know, not that far off from the reality in which we actually reside now. Just not as evident as it is demonstrated.

War and famine are actual events since we utterly destroyed the ecosystem. Naturally, the air is also not exactly ideal for inhaling. Something awful occurs on Earth as we watch two astronauts (of a type) arrive at the space station to take the place of some of the other residents. People are ruthlessly and instantly killed by a fog.

Now, the two new arrivers – a female soldier and a male doctor – have to work with the one remaining Space Station colleague (who has been up there for eight years) to find out if anyone is even alive. Also, the man with eight years of experience on the space station is working on getting algae to clean and produce oxygen.

Something he has succeeded with and which now needs to get to Earth. If anyone is still alive back there. And again, who do you give this technology to if no governments or countries exist?! Only corporations battling one another for power.

The ending of Rubikon ruined so much for me! *minor spoilers*
When I say that the Rubikon ending ruined it for me, I actually mean most of the final half of the movie. So many things happen that you spot a mile away. However, you spot these “twists” thinking; Surely, they’re not going where I think they’re going?!

And yes. Yes, they are going there!

So, when I say that two people arrive. One a woman, the other a man. And that they can’t get in touch with anyone back on Earth and just might be the last people on Earth (with the last remaining astronaut from the former crew), you should get that icky feeling that this is going to turn romantic.

And, of course, it does. They don’t even wait too long. Which makes this “sci-fi thriller” even more of a slow-burn experience since now we also need to see them be lovey-dovey. I mean, come on. Sure, you might be the humans left alive, but it’s only been a minute (figuratively speaking) and these two don’t even like each other.

If you can guess what might happen when two people start having relations on a regular basis, then you’ve already guessed the next part of the story. Call it a twist or a natural evolution of the story. I just call it very unnecessary and completely draining out what made the story interesting.

You can watch Rubikon in theaters or at home!
Magdalena Lauritsch is the director of Rubikon and this is her feature film debut. In terms of style, there is plenty working well, so I’m still intrigued to see what she comes up with next. Magdalena Lauritsch also wrote the script along with Jessica Lind while Elisabeth Schmied is credited as a “story consultant”.

This movie intrigued me at first, so I was initially quite positive and expected a good story. However, by the end of its 1-hour and 50-minute runtime (which, yes, is too long), I was just irritated. With many elements. Some of which even hit on some extremely current topics and not in any good way.

Admittedly, I get even more irritated by the fact that I wanted to like this film, and did at first, only to ultimately be confronted with so many tropes and stereotypes.

You had me at first, Rubikon, but lost me completely before the ending. And yes, even that very final scene is very easy to guess ahead of time. Not bad, just not very fresh or interesting either.

Rubikon is out in theaters and everywhere you rent movies from July 1, 2022.