Review: "The Aeronauts" is a Balloon Ride Worth Taking

Scene from The Aeronauts

Think back for a moment and try to answer this question: when has there been a nonfiction movie about a scientist that was... exciting? While the revelations that one finds through meticulous research can lead to world-changing events, nobody could mistake the story of, say, Marie Curie or Peter Higgs as a film on par with Tom Cruise's latest action flick. Then again, that's where director Tom Harper dares to dream. The Aeronauts is a mixed bag in terms of authenticity, but what he does with a hot air balloon feels revolutionary, presenting a perspective on cinema that hasn't been covered before. Imagine a Jules Verne story brought to life, full of wondrous discoveries and peril from inside the claustrophobic space of a basket. For as much as the film has issues getting things off the ground, it still delivers the goods when it gets there and elevates this goofy premise into one of the best surprises of 2019. It's a biopic worthy of its action beats, and it will have those willing to embrace is tone in a constant state of awe.

For the record, James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) is a real person who flew hot air balloons and discovered new details about our Earth's atmosphere. His discoveries were influential in the evolution of science, and yet it's taken for granted because of how advanced things have come. Who takes a hot air balloon to look above the clouds anymore? Not since the Wright Brothers advanced aviation has the need really been there. It's the gist of what Harper hoped to achieve with The Aeronauts. He wanted audiences to not only appreciate the work of Glaisher but to know what it felt like to look at the clouds like a white river of ripples and the sun glowing as butterflies flew by. He wanted to create an ambiance that hasn't been seen before. Call it goofy, but to watch Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) discover this world with James is heartwarming, even as you realize they're in a fragile basket only attached by a few ropes. If they break, they will fall to their death.

The risk that comes with flying that high without any form of security is the exciting crux of the third act. Still, James must push on the discover what the world looks like beyond our understanding. His journey there is a bit tedious, finding him rabblerousing with other scientists who see his mission as pointless. Still, he must go up and explore. It doesn't help that hot air balloons are seen more like a sideshow for, as Verne would put it in observations, more of a chance to see if somebody actually dies in a terrible accident. Nobody expected hot air balloons to go as high as they did, and James' adventure is a quest to prove them wrong. It's the story of how James and Amelia became the holders of the record of highest altitude traveled. The story cuts between Amelia's personal time being taken seriously as a scientist and the adventure, which slowly becomes a brilliant piece in high-wire tension.

If one brings facts into the matter, The Aeronauts will deflate a little bit. Amelia Wren is not in fact real. She is named for aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart and is meant more of an encapsulation of several figures, including daredevil Henry Coxwell who flew with the real-life Glaisher. The guess is that Harper believed that this edit was to represent the women who helped pioneer aviation alongside the men. This is a noble idea, though may trivialize those who feel it takes credit from real-life counterparts. With all of this said, it's not much of an egregious error for those who simply watch the film and take in the adventure of it all. Amelia's quest to be respected indeed mirrors James' personal quest and in some ways creates a balance. Yes, part of the charm is seeing The Theory of Everything couple reunite on a new adventure, but what is lost in not seeing Coxwell in the film? Maybe some of the more affectionate chemistry that Jones and Redmayne have towards each other. Even then, Jones is portrayed as a widow of other aeronauts who fell to their death. Her personal grief is enough to make the journey all the more audacious.

Once the viewer gets past the first act full of dull exposition and set-up, things start to click. Suddenly it becomes more than a chance to see Redmayne and Jones being charming underdogs. There's a chance to see the wonder that makes them soar above the clouds. With excellent use of the green screen, the film slowly builds into a third act that serves as an environmental ticking clock. When the hot air balloon flies too high, what is there to do? The answer is a 20-minute sequence that more than warrants Harper's affection for this material. Jones is especially given a physical role as she's forced to climb on top of the balloon and solve an issue that feels as pressing as it looks. Everything about the moment is tense and despite being based on a true story, the worry of these two's safety fuels deep emotion in the viewer. How will they fall back to Earth in a safe manner? They have to be answered, and it's a bit insane how unsafe the approach is. Down to the final moment, it's one of the best action set pieces of the year, and it's all about two humans barely surviving a plunge. Add in Steven Price's tense score, and it becomes a thing of beauty.

The balloon is especially brilliant and adds a beautiful aesthetic to the entire film. Distant shots make it look insignificant among the clouds, moving around and staring down at the small towns. Everything is perfectly rendered to create a sense of wonder. It helps that the basket that holds James and Amelia from harm is its own claustrophobic set, where every square inch has to be strategically used correctly. It's here that they get to play cute with each other, and the view is superb. In the third act, it's especially effective in its practical use to move the dramatic tension into action in a way that keeps the audience guessing, wondering how they will survive. As things fall into descending action, it becomes even more of an ingenious invention as James and Amelia must find ways to lose weight and sever ties without killing themselves. While the fact that it's a true-ish story may predict the ending, the road there is still exciting and Harper should be proud of the direction he has in making The Aeronauts into an unexpected thrill ride.

The Aeronauts is an inherently silly film that asks how a hot air balloon could be used in an overly dramatic way. The answer is that one simply needs to look at history and recognize the gall of some men to go to danger and find new answers. It's a story that also wants to prove that women were always just as curious as men and, for those willing to look past inaccuracies, it works as an underdog story for everyone who thought to dream. That's part of the charm. It may be a biopic, but it's first and foremost a film that encourages kids to get into science, to think of the next bold discovery. It's goofy and a bit uneven, but it has the charm of a team barely holding it together in an effective manner. While it may not be the rip-roaring adventure that the trailers promised, it's the type of fantasy that scientists like to convince themselves they have as a career. In some ways, it's entirely true. However, it's rarely as fun as it is here.