When it comes to small space settings in film, developing an engrossing story takes a bit more effort. Other Tribeca offerings, like You’ll Never Find Me, do this remarkably well. I.S.S. is certainly committed to its premise and excels at building tension; it’s an example of the ways in which suspense and conflict can be developed in the story and between characters. And while the plot is suspenseful and unsettling because it’s something that could happen, the film underwhelms when it comes to its dynamics and individual arcs, each character lacking a depth that would have elevated an otherwise solid thriller.
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A team of astronauts, a mixture of Russian and American, gather on the International Space Station (I.S.S.), and they’re joined by newcomers — Dr. Kira Foster (Ariana DeBose) and Christian Campbell (John Gallagher Jr.). Things are going swimmingly at first, and everyone seems to be getting along great, though the score suggests that the harmony won’t last for long. And it doesn’t. A day after the final astronauts’ arrival, war breaks out between Russia and the U.S. and the astronauts receive cryptic messages from their respective governments: They’re to secure the space station by any means necessary, turning the friends into enemies, with a few surprises as to the lengths some of them might go for their countries and for themselves above all.

The film lays the groundwork fairly well before things go awry. There could have been more done to establish the relationships before getting to the crux of the plot, but Nick Shafir’s script wastes no time in establishing the tension. To that end, the intensity ramps up to 100, and it never lets up, with each action leading to strenuous and stressful circumstances that will leave you feeling on edge regarding what comes next. Should Kira trust Weronika Vetrov (Masha Mashkova), the Russian scientist in love with American scientist Gordon (Chris Messina), when she asks for her help against Nicholai (Costa Ronin) and Alexy (Pilou Asbæk)? Does Christian have good intentions or is he only out for himself? I.S.S. keeps us guessing throughout and makes every scene electrifying and riveting as a result.

While the film excels in driving the conflicts between the characters, they are lacking in development as individuals. The narrative tries to raise the stakes by making Gordon and Weronika a couple, adding to the conflict of one side against the other, but the film doesn’t take enough time to establish who these characters are as people before they’re in the fight of their lives. The more development they had, the deeper and more biting the tension could’ve been. But the film remains at the surface regarding these characters and their dynamics, content to stay on the shallow end instead of digging a bit deeper to flesh things out.

That said, I.S.S. remains engaging as a sci-fi thriller. And there’s much to like about the rising intensity and conflict, the terrifying premise, and the way in which director Gabriela Cowperthwaite builds suspense. The actors rise to the occasion and do their best with what they’re given, allowing us to believe that they would turn to violence against each other, even if the one of the early drivers of their disputes is less believable.

I.S.S. screened at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. It is 95 minutes long and not yet rated.