By Guy Wheatley
The Texarkana Gazette

Solaris, while primarily a love story, has elements of a ghost story as well. One of the spirits haunting the film must surely be that of Stanley Kubrick. Inspired by the novel from Polish author Stanislaw Lem, Solaris was first made into a movie in 1972 by Soviet Director Andrie Tarkovsky. It was hailed as a Soviet version of "2001: A Space Odyssey." The remake by James Cameron and Steven Soderberg certainly has elements that are reminiscent of Kurbiskís 1968 epic. There is a spinning space station and, in place of the monolith, there is the omnipresent planet Solaris. As with the earlier film, Solaris focuses on the element of Human potential and destiny. That is where the similarities end. In almost every other aspect, Solaris is as far from 2001 as it is possible to get.
Where 2001 was epic in scale, Solaris focuses narrowly on the love between Chris Kelvin (George Clooney) and Rheya (Natascha McElhone). 2001 gave us cutting edge special effects that focused on technology. Soderberg down plays technology and science past the point of simple irrelevance.
Soderberg has said he has no interest in directing in the science fiction genre. What drew him to Solaris was the human element of the story. He intentionally subdues the "hardware" aspects of the film. We donít know how far in the future the tale takes place. If we assume that Solaris is not some undiscovered planet within our solar system, then it must be far enough in the future for the human race to have developed interstellar travel. The set however looks like something that we might build within a decade. The Space Station Prometheus looks similar to the International Space Station currently in Earth orbit. We see Chris and Rheya on Earth at the beginning of the film and in flashbacks. Their clothing and apartment wouldnít draw a second glance in 2002.
James Cameron and Steven Soderberg bring us a melancholy love story that explores human frailty and redemption. Solaris asks the age-old question, "Does love concur all?" It also examines the consequences of our decisions. Like Kubrick in "A Clock Work Orange" and "Eyes Wide Shut," Solaris gives our protagonist the opportunity to over come his nature and surpass his destiny.
Kelvin is summoned to the Space Station Prometheus orbiting the planet Solaris by his friend Dr. Gibarian (Ulrich Tukur). By the time Kelvin arrives, Gibarian has committed suicide. The only two humans aboard are Dr. Gordan (Viola Davis) and Snow (Jeremy Davies).
Kelvin awakes, after his first night, to find his dead wife in bed with him. He soon learns that the others also have "visitors" ostensibly created by Solaris. In flashback we learn of Rheyaís death and Kelvinís role in it.
Rheya is the only visitor we really get to know. Far from a menacing presence, she is a sympathetic character. The audience finds itself pulling for her, hoping that Kelvin can find the strength to overcome the disaster that seems to be their fate. Are they doomed by their own nature to relive the past?
Soderberg deals with the question of what Solaris is and what it wants in a perfunctorily manor. The planet itself is used cinematically to create scene breaks. It reminds us visually that Kelvin is no longer in a place where the old rules apply. It is simply a vehicle to take the story where Soderberg wants to go.
This is a film of the mind and heart, not of the eyes and ears. Lacking spectacular explosions or chase scenes, it probably wonít make it to blockbuster status. Those interested in a thought provoking film will find it well worth the ticket price.
Rated PG-13, there are three brief scenes showing Clooneyís bum and a few adult situations.

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