Year: 2017
Runtime: 104 min
Language: Spanish
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Budget: $58M
A team of astronauts aboard the International Space Station makes a groundbreaking discovery: evidence of life on Mars. Bringing the specimen back to the station, they hope to unlock the secrets of its existence. However, they soon find that this extraterrestrial organism is not only alive but also possesses a mysterious intelligence, and its presence poses a growing threat to the crew.
Get a spoiler-free look at Life (2017) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
The International Space Station has become a sprawling laboratory orbiting Earth, an aging marvel that has spent three decades circling the globe and represents a multibillion‑dollar investment in humanity’s future among the stars. Within its steel‑clad corridors a six‑person crew lives and works in a world where the silence of space is broken only by the hum of equipment and the ever‑present view of the planet below. The station’s confined environment and fragile life‑support systems create a tense, almost claustrophobic atmosphere that amplifies every discovery and every doubt.
Among the crew, Rory Adams is the fearless engineer who keeps the station’s mechanical heart beating, while Hugh Derry is the curious exobiologist whose fascination with the unknown drives the scientific agenda. David has logged an almost unimaginable stretch of time aloft, his body and mind bearing the subtle marks of long‑term isolation, and Katerina, the mission commander, balances decisive leadership with the weight of responsibility for her teammates. Miranda North, the flight surgeon, watches over the crew’s health, providing a steadying presence amid the pressure cooker of orbital life.
When a returning probe delivers a soil sample from Mars, the team uncovers what may be the first unmistakable evidence of extraterrestrial life. The organism, initially simple, begins to exhibit unexpected adaptability and hints of a rudimentary intelligence, turning a scientific triumph into a delicate moral dilemma. As curiosity gives way to caution, the crew must grapple with the profound implications of nurturing a sentient being in a setting where every mistake could have catastrophic consequences. The film weaves together awe‑inspiring wonder, quiet dread, and the human drive to explore, setting the stage for a suspenseful battle between scientific ambition and survival in the unforgiving vacuum of space.
Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 03:24
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where a brilliant, adaptive creature turns a confined setting into a deadly trap.If you liked the terrifyingly smart alien in Life, explore more movies like it. This section features similar sci-fi and horror stories where an intelligent creature threat turns a confined location—like a spaceship or research station—into a lethal maze. These films share a tense, claustrophobic vibe and high-stakes survival horror.
Narratives in this thread typically begin with a scientific discovery that quickly spirals out of control. The central conflict revolves around containment failure, as the creature demonstrates unforeseen intelligence and adaptability. The plot is a race against time, often following a linear structure of escalating encounters where each attempt to outsmart or destroy the threat fails, leading to a high body count and a sense of inevitable doom.
These movies are grouped by their shared core premise: an intelligent antagonist in a confined space. They create a specific kind of tension that blends sci-fi curiosity with visceral horror, focusing on the hubris of confronting the unknown and the fragility of human ingenuity under extreme pressure.
Narratives where survival efforts are futile and endings offer little to no hope.For viewers who appreciated the devastatingly bleak ending of Life, this section collects other films with a similarly hopeless tone. Discover movies like Life where the characters' fight for survival is ultimately in vain, resulting in sad or ambiguous endings. These are heavy, intense viewing experiences focused on grim outcomes.
The narrative pattern follows a group or individual facing an overwhelming threat. While there are moments of potential victory or escape, each is systematically undone. The story arc is a downward spiral, emphasizing that some forces or situations are unconquerable. The ending typically confirms the worst fears, often with the threat persisting or the protagonists meeting a grim fate despite their struggles.
These films are united by their uncompromisingly bleak outlook and emotional heaviness. They explore themes of futility and the indifference of the universe (or a monstrous threat), providing a cathartic, if distressing, experience for viewers drawn to stories without easy resolutions or happy endings.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Life in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Life is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of Life, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Track the full timeline of Life with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Life. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Life: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like Life that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
Life (2017) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline
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