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Órbita 9

Órbita 9

Love will set you free

201795 minTV-14Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Director
Hatem Khraiche
Starring
Clara Lago, Belén Rueda, Álex González, Andrés Parra

Helena, a young woman on a deep space mission, has been alone for 20 years. Her parents abandoned ship after a technical malfunction made it impossible for all three of them to reach their intended destination. Alex, an isolated engineer, is about to enter her life and turn her world upside down.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Órbita 9?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Órbita 9 on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Órbita 9?

Órbita 9 earns 3 badges, led by Award Winner and Gentle for a TV-14 film.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Órbita 9 worth watching?

Órbita 9's Midcredits score is the 33rd percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 4 sources. 35% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

33rd percentile

Better received than 33% of films

29th percentile among Drama34th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)38th
Approval (how many liked it)30th

58 /100

38th percentile of all films

35th percentile among Drama39th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

35% liked it

30th percentile of all films

26th percentile among Drama30th percentile among 2010s
35% rated it 7–1065% rated it 1–6

Critics 67% · Audience 42%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

88th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26

Box office

Budget€4M

In euro, not converted to dollars.

Worldwide gross$298K

46th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget Spanish sci-fi romance built around a central twist that divides viewers on whether the love story and ethical questions are well-executed.

Fans praised

  • thought-provoking ethical questioning of human experimentation
  • strong lead performance from Clara Lago
  • twist-driven story with genuine surprises

Detractors panned

  • rushed romance that undermines character motivations
  • plot holes and illogical character decisions
  • clichéd third act that wastes a promising sci-fi premise

What stands out

Cinematography70

sleek visuals and good photography for low budget

ActingDivisive65

Clara Lago praised as convincing; some find leads wooden or monotone

AtmosphereDivisive60

immersive isolation tone but undermined by dull sets

OriginalityDivisive55

derivative of earlier sci-fi works despite fresh core idea

Plot and storyDivisive50

interesting premise undermined by early twist reveal and predictability

Emotional impactDivisive50

romance fails to earn emotional investment for many

CharactersDivisive45

shallow character development, rushed relationship arc

PacingDivisive40

slow first act, rushed romance, plodding middle section

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is Órbita 9 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicTenseRomantic
Heaviest: late
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its romance and its sci-fi premise entirely straight and sincere, taking Helena's confinement and awakening seriously rather than winking at the genre.
The rideA melancholic, vaguely doomed romance framed by pursuit and a bleak world, with moments of wonder as Helena first encounters Earth.
StructureTold in linear chronological order, moving from Helena's confined orbiter world through the revelation of the Earth project to the pursuit and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetThought-provokingWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe lingering note is bittersweet — a love that found a way to endure inside a cage — leaving quiet questions about identity, cloning, and what a real life is.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% (this title) · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Liberation: Breaking free of a confining life (Room).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeHelena's arc is an awakening and escape from a fabricated, confining existence into a dangerous real world — a liberation arc — though the lovers end up re-caged, giving it a mild doomed-love undertow.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFreedomPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Freedom · 5% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film is about a woman's escape from a controlled, simulated life and the cost of that freedom, complicated by the discovery that she is a clone and by a love that cannot exist outside the program's walls.
StanceThe film questions what freedom and identity can mean for a clone in a dying world, presenting Helena's escape as both a genuine liberation and an impossibility the program will not allow.

The world

Near futureRuralInstitutionalOuter spaceScience fiction
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Federico Jusid
SettingA near-future Earth with poisoned oceans and a dying environment, where a guarded forest research compound secretly runs a simulated space mission on cloned subjects.
MusicJusid's score underscores the emotional romance and the cold sci-fi dread of the simulated orbiter.

Content guide

Is Órbita 9 okay for kids?

TV-14

Órbita 9 is rated TV-14. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (30/100), sexual content at mild (22/100), language at mild (27/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (17/100) and frightening material at mild (24/100). Its drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 9% of TV-14 films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK12
  • Germany12
  • JapanG
  • Russia16+
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 5% of all filmsHeavier than 9% of TV-14 films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a TV-14 film
heavier than 28%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a TV-14 film
heavier than 34%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a TV-14 film
heavier than 25%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 28% of TV-14 films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Órbita 9 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Órbita 9?

Cast

Clara Lago
as Helena
Belén Rueda
as Silvia
Álex González
as Álex
Andrés Parra
as Hugo
Kristina Lilley
as Katherine
John Alex Castillo
as Dr. Xiao
Sara Deray
as Madre Helena
Silvia Santamaría
as Marta
Diana Belmonte
as Mónica
Fernando Campo
as Padre Helena

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Órbita 9?

Movies like Órbita 9 include Fahrenheit 451 (1966), Equals (2015) and Code 46 (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the near future, and half are liberation stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its world: dystopian. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Órbita 9?

635 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dystopian. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.