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Approaching the Unknown

Approaching the Unknown

201690 minRMidcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
Director
Mark Elijah Rosenberg
Starring
Mark Strong, Luke Wilson, Sanaa Lathan, Anders Danielsen Lie

Captain William Stanaforth is on a one-way solo mission to take the first steps in colonising Mars. Like all pioneers throughout history, Stanaforth will face insurmountable odds and life and death decisions as he rockets bravely through space.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Approaching the Unknown?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Approaching the Unknown streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Approaching the Unknown?

Approaching the Unknown earns 1 badge: Overhyped.

Reception

Is Approaching the Unknown worth watching?

Approaching the Unknown's Midcredits score is the 9th percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 6 sources. 18% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

9th percentile

Better received than 9% of films

5th percentile among Drama10th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)16th
Approval (how many liked it)6th

50 /100

16th percentile of all films

12th percentile among Drama19th percentile among 2010s

Critics 53 · Audience 49

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

18% liked it

6th percentile of all films

4th percentile among Drama6th percentile among 2010s
18% rated it 7–1082% rated it 1–6

Critics 47% · Audience 16%

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

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$6.5K
Domestic gross$10K
Worldwide gross$10K

13th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a meditative, character-driven space drama rather than an action-packed thriller, which some find compelling and others tedious.

Fans praised

  • Mark Strong's captivating lead performance
  • psychological depth of isolation and one-way mission
  • slow-burn pacing that builds tension and pathos

Detractors panned

  • ludicrous plot holes and unrealistic mission logic
  • boring stretches with little happening
  • unoriginal philosophical monologues and weak character foundation

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Mark Strong praised as captivating, but some call it subpar

AtmosphereDivisive65

sense of emptiness and solitude effective

Emotional impactDivisive60

melancholy and pathos resonate with some

OriginalityDivisive50

derivative of Moon and Gravity, but with own philosophical angle

PacingDivisive45

slow-burn build praised by fans, boredom by detractors

CharactersDivisive45

thin character foundation, motivation questioned

Dialogue40

overly melancholic monologues

Plot and storyDivisive35

plot holes and unrealistic premise criticized

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Approaching the Unknown like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseContemplativeDread
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with grave seriousness and a detached, introspective tone.
The rideThe mission preparation and voyage likely build tension and dread, with the heaviest pressure during the perilous journey itself.
StructureThe story progresses linearly through the preparation and execution of the mission.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's quiet meditation on isolation and purpose lingers after the credits.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

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).Voyage
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% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · 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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThe film follows an astronaut on a solo mission to Mars, centering on survival and isolation in a hostile environment.

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 filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · 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% (this title) · 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%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsIsolation · 5% of filmsSurvival
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a man's singular drive to complete a historic mission, confronting the immense isolation and physical peril of being alone on Mars.
StanceThe film examines the cost and meaning of a solitary human mission to Mars, questioning what drives someone to endure such isolation for a greater purpose.

The world

Near futureOuter spaceInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Paul Damian Hogan
SettingA U.S. astronaut's mission to Mars
MusicLikely a sparse, tense score befitting the isolation of space.

Content guide

Is Approaching the Unknown okay for kids?

R

Approaching the Unknown is rated R: “Rated R for language” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (17/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at intense (67/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany12
  • Brazil14
  • Netherlands9
  • Poland12
  • RO15
  • Sweden7
Overall
Moderate · 4 of 5 categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (10 votes across 4 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 Approaching the Unknown have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Approaching the Unknown?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Mark Strong
as William D. Stanaforth
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Luke Wilson
as Louis 'Skinny' Skinner (CapCom)
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sanaa Lathan
as Emily Maddox
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anders Danielsen Lie
as Greenstreet
Charles Baker
as Worsely
Bettina Skye
as Reporter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Joe James
as Security Guard
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Steven Brower
as Featured in Civilian Astronaut Footage
Stephanie Gould
as Featured in Civilian Astronaut Footage
Franziska Lamprecht
as Featured in Civilian Astronaut Footage

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Approaching the Unknown?

Movies like Approaching the Unknown include Love (2011), Stowaway (2021) and 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the near future, and several are survival ordeal stories.

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

All 12 share its world: outer space. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Approaching the Unknown?

149 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: space exploration. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.