Cosmic Sin: Review

Cosmic Sin 2021

Cosmic Sin Synopsis: In the year 2524, four centuries after humans started colonizing the outer planets, retired Gen. James Ford (Bruce Willis) gets called back into service after a hostile alien fleet attacks soldiers on a remote planet. The threat against mankind soon escalates into an interstellar war as Ford and a team of elite soldiers try to stop the imminent attack before it’s too late.

After decades of being a headliner on the silver screen, Bruce Willis has transitioned to the menial yet busy reality of VOD action stardom (Willis has been in six films over the last two years alone). As Willis’ gruff persona continues to morph into detached disinterest, it has started to show in his slapdash efforts.

While propped up with glimmers of filmmaking ingenuity, the star’s latest low-budget vehicle Cosmic Sin lands with an oppressive sense of deja vu. This wayward science fiction effort likely won’t be remembered long after its inconsequential narrative hits the closing credits.



For a film with clear B-movie intentions, Cosmic Sin needlessly complicates the proceedings. Edward Drake and Corey Large strike a few humorous chords with their machismo banter (characters swear with reckless abandon), but their narrative gets bloated in a mush of meaningless world-building. Early scenes throw window dressing information at the audience without any cohesiveness or personality. It’s a screenplay that feels drawn from a bin of formulaic efforts, never establishing an identity to color the familiar trappings.

While indie efforts can imbue enough spirit to conceal their limitations, Cosmic Sin ignites little with its auto-pilot delivery. The action beats are pushed aside for wordy frames of exposition, with the script’s development creating characters far too inert to care for. It would help if the film’s marquee stars propped up the stagnant writing, yet most of the runtime goes by with them being nowhere to be found. Frank Grillo has nothing to do in a passing-by role, while Bruce Willis seems half-asleep in his emptily gruff role. There’s nothing of interest here when the action isn’t onscreen.

Misgivings aside, Cosmic Sin presents a few sparks of promise. Edward Drake’s direction shows glimmers of arresting visceral scale, hitting soaring heights within a few high-flying space sequences. Drake playfully honors his 80’s influences while finding inspired ways to dress up blandly-flavored scenes. He certainly props up the standard-issue formula, keeping audiences somewhat involved even when the material isn’t up to snuff.

Cosmic Sin isn’t a complete misfire, but its sluggish runtime doesn’t strike any chords worth remembering.

Cosmic Sin is In Theaters, On Demand and On Digital March 12, 2021.


We hope you're enjoying BRWC. You should check us out on our social channels, subscribe to our newsletter, and tell your friends. BRWC is short for battleroyalewithcheese.


Trending on BRWC:

Nosferatu: Review

Nosferatu: Review

By BRWC / 11th December 2024
Going Viral: Review

Going Viral: Review

By Joel Fisher / 16th December 2024 / 1 Comment
It All Comes With The Cold Water: Review

It All Comes With The Cold Water: Review

By BRWC / 6th December 2024
Gladiator II: The BRWC Review

Gladiator II: The BRWC Review

By BRWC / 23rd November 2024
The Last Showgirl: Review

The Last Showgirl: Review

By BRWC / 28th November 2024

Cool Posts From Around the Web:



Matt is an American who has grown up for passion for film and its empathetic powers to tell unique stories (especially in the science fiction sphere). Some of his favorites include Inside Llewyn Davis, Her, Goodfellas, Frances Ha and Moonlight.

NO COMMENTS

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.