The 2002 remake of the 1972 sci-fi movie Solaris stars George Clooney as Dr. Chris Kelvin, a psychologist who decides to travel to a planet to help a crew who has been stuck there. He has no idea what he's getting himself into, and the movie goes in an unexpected direction. The Solaris remake only made $30 million at the box office and has a 66% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, along with a 59% Audience Score. Despite starring a big name like Clooney, the movie wasn't a huge hit at the time of its release.
Both the original Solaris movie and the remake tell similar stories, although they both differ quite a bit from the novel that was published in 1961. What happens in Solaris and what is the ending like?
What Is Solaris About?
Solaris is about George Clooney's character Dr. Chris Kelvin realizing that there are no crew members left on the mission to go to the Solaris planet. Gibarian (Ulrich Tucker) has taken his own life and the others are gone. Kelvin has a terrifying experience when he has a dream of Rheya (Natascha McElhone ), his late wife, and then sees her on the space shuttle. While some sci-fi remakes are worse than the original, the Solaris remake does tell the same moving story that the original does.
It becomes clear to Kelvin that if anyone on board the shuttle has lost someone close to them, that person is now there. While Kelvin is at first happy and intrigued to see his wife Rheya, he realizes that this Rheya is cold and detached. He knows that he will never get his wife back, no matter how great this prospect seems. George Clooney's version of Batman and his many other characters prove his ability to star in different genres, and it's fun to see him in an emotional movie that also has a fast-paced plot.
What Happens At The End Of Solaris?
The Solaris ending is smart and answers some important questions. Snow (Jeremy Davies) is just a copy and the actual Snow is gone because the clone murdered him when they fought. It turns out that going back to Earth won't be likely as an important part of the ship has been ruined. Kelvin and Gordon know that they have to leave and they create a small vessel that they call Athena so they can get home.
It's possible to see the ending of Solaris as a bleak sci-fi movie ending. It's also possible to say that it's sweet and exactly what Kelvin wanted. Solaris ends with Kelvin at home and thinking about Rheya. But when he hurts himself and then gets better instantly, he finds out that he stayed in space. The shuttle was destroyed and he is now able to stay with his late wife Rheya forever.
Did George Clooney Star In Other Sci-Fi Movies?
George Clooney has starred in a few other sci-fi movies, including the 2013 movie Gravity alongside Sandra Bullock, who has many underrated movies. In this film, the actors play Lieutenant Matt Kowalski and Dr. Ryan Stone who go on a mission into space together. Clooney also played Frank Walker in the 2015 movie Tomorrowland and Augustine in the 2020 Netflix movie The Midnight Sky. Clooney's 2013 movie Gravity is definitely the most similar to Solaris since he played an intelligent character exploring space in both films.
How Does The Solaris Ending Compare To The Book?
Stanisław Lem wrote Solaris, which was published in 1961. The novel follows scientists who travel to the Solaris planet, where there is a mysterious ocean that seems to be making strange things happen. The book includes aliens, which aren't the focus of the 1972 and 2002 movies.
While many sci-fi novels have lackluster adaptations, the Solaris movie from 1972 is considered to be a smart adaptation. The 2002 remake is less popular. But both movies offer up an interesting look at a new planet and the magical things that happen there.
Is The Ending Different In The Original Solaris Movie?
In the original Solaris movie from 1972, Kelvin (Donatas Banionis) knows that he has a hard choice to make: to go to Earth or remain in space. The ending of the original Solaris movie is very different from the ending of the 2002 Solaris remake. In the original, Kelvin is at the house that he grew up in and hugs his dad. But then, it becomes clear that he and his dad are in the ocean of Solaris.
Instead of a sci-fi movie about peaceful aliens, both the original Solaris and the remake starring George Clooney offer up a different and unique vision of space. In both cases, the characters can find the ghosts of their lost partners and family members on the planet Solaris. And while that's scary at first, they ultimately come to terms with it, and they like having a second chance with these people who mean so much to them.