Robert Pattinson's A24 Sci-Fi Movie That Flew Under Everyone's Radar Is A Prime Video Must-Watch

Mid-way through his transformation into a care-free little weirdo capable of delivering some of the finest performances of the modern era, Robert Pattinson went to space. That is, he starred in A24 and Claire Denis' experimental sci-fi film "High Life," in which he plays one of several convicts blasted into the cosmos in search of an energy source. While it might not be one of his best-known projects, "High Life" is a fascinating watch and is now available to stream on Prime Video.

Pattinson is the most interesting actor working today. Unpredictable, fearless, and endlessly committed to his many diverse roles, the man has come a long way since "Twilight." In the past decade or so, he seems to have undergone a personal evolution that has led to some unforgettable performances. We started to see it with what might be his most Pattinsonian performance in the Safdie Brothers' "Good Time," after which the British star took on ever more diverse roles, playing eccentric characters that were about as far removed from his breakthrough as a teen heartthrob as it's possible to get. Even if you don't remember what happens in Netflix's star-studded Southern Gothic drama "The Devil All The Time," for example, you almost certainly remember Pattinson's twisted preacher and his wildly erratic Southern accent.

Between that performance and "Good Time," the actor also found time to lead "High Life," which, while it doesn't feature his strangest performance, it is one of his most complex and experimental films. If you've been enjoying the Pattinson evolution of the past decade but somehow missed this one, now is the time to remedy that.

After getting weird with the Safdies, Robert Pattinson got weird in space with Claire Denis in her 2018 film "High Life." Denis co-wrote the movie with her frequent collaborator Jean-Pol Fargeau, with whom she began working on 1998's "Chocolat." That exploration of her childhood spent in Cameroon, however, couldn't have been further from her 2018 collaboration with Pattinson, which saw the "Twilight" star sent hurtling into the furthest reaches of the solar system on a cursed mission to find an alternative energy source.

The film's story plays out in a non-linear fashion, so it isn't the easiest thing to summarize without spoiling its various developments. Needless to say, it's better experienced than read about. In simple terms, Pattinson plays Monte, one of several death row criminals who are sent into space to extract energy from a black hole. They're also traveling with scientist Dibs (Juliette Binoche), who's obsessed with the idea of artificial insemination in space and is using her crew of convicts as guinea pigs. In addition, Mia Goth appears as a fellow prisoner who becomes inextricably linked with Monte.

You'll have to watch the movie to find out what happens beyond that. Luckily you can do just that over on Prime Video, where the movie is available at no extra cost to subscribers. And while "High Life" isn't the easiest movie to follow, It's well worth a watch, at the very least because it features one of Pattinson's best performances.

"High Life" is a fascinating, surreal, and often compounding exploration of... well, it's not actually all that clear what Claire Denis was exploring with her 2018 sci-fi effort. The movie seems to revel in its indecipherability, which only makes Robert Pattinson's performance all the more impressive for keeping you engaged throughout. It's not a classically strange Pattinson performance. In fact, he's mostly playing things straight here. Yet, his presence is undeniable, and it's partly thanks to his tastefully restrained portrayal of a condemned man adrift in space that the movie lingers long after the credits roll.

Critics certainly seemed impressed upon its theatrical release. "High Life" maintains a respectable 83% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes to this day, with Vanity Fair's K. Austin Collins describing it as "eerily sexy" and Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent praising the film's "fascinating mixture of highbrow and B-movie elements." But even with solid reviews, "High Life" didn't create much of a stir among audiences after premiering at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival (which isn't all that surprising, really, given its impenetrability).

Now, though, Pattinson is set to star in the true story-based thriller "Primetime," and the early reactions to the Chris Hansen movie suggest we have another standout performance from the British star on our hands. Hopefully this will prompt a few fans to go back and check out "High Life," which deserves a lot more attention than it's gotten.