NIGHTFLYERS: Netflix’s Event Horizon-like Sci-Fi Mash-up

Nightflyers is another space expedition, taking the viewer into the unknown, dark corners of the galaxy.

The name of the writer George R.R. Martin is mostly associated by fans of television series with Game of Thrones, and, as a result, with the fantasy genre. However, A Song of Ice and Fire is just a small part of the rich work of this author. Not everyone remembers this, but Martin also specializes in the science fiction genre. An example of this is the short story collection Nightflyers from 1985. However, after watching the series based on this book, I get the impression that either Martin was once a worse writer, or not everyone knows how to interpret his words the way the creators of Game of Thrones do. Mediocrity stands out.

This is not the first attempt at Nightflyers. In 1987, Robert Collector directed a film of the same title. One of the main roles was played by Michael Praed, the dark-haired Robin Hood from the memorable TV series. However, this is not a proud example of either an adaptation or a film in general. The campy vibe is excessively noticeable, and it’s clear that the creators were much more consumed with designing suggestive special effects than dealing with the content of this story. Although I must admit that, thanks to the electronic music, it did manage to create a distinctive atmosphere.

I expected that in the case of the series, it could only get better. The episodic format offered a chance to extract a new quality, capable of incorporating more of the book’s threads, which would make the story richer and fuller. And I admit that my first impression after encountering the work of Jeff Buhler, the screenwriter, was quite positive. I got to know the crew of the Nightflyer ship, made up of various types of scientists. A crew that embarks on a dangerous, yet incredibly important mission from the point of view of science. These people are the first to try to find and make contact with an alien life form. However, they don’t know that as they journey to the edge of the Solar System, they will also find themselves on the edge of their own madness.

In addition to the intriguing starting point, I was also struck by the raw cinematography, which was a pleasant change for the eyes. In this way, I take a jab at the contemporary cinematographic manner visible in films and TV series, which relies on excessive lighting exposure. The somewhat indistinct color palette of Nightflyers is, as I understand, meant to correspond with the tone of the series. After all, it’s an exceptionally dark story, using the assumption that one of our greatest enemies in space, emerging during a long interstellar journey, is ourselves – more specifically, our constantly playing tricks psyche.

If I had to compare the atmosphere of the SyFy production’s series, it would be the film Event Horizon. The similarities are noticeable only in the initial assumptions and atmosphere. However, on the level of plot resolutions, Nightflyers does not stand as a proud example. The crew takes on board a powerful telepath with the face of a teenager, who is supposed to help make contact with the aliens, but the precautions applied to him are laughable. The twist that develops in the first two episodes is hard to call a key problem of the plot capable of driving the story forward. It’s closer to a lame prologue that awkwardly leads us to a breakthrough.

However, the interesting choice of crew members helps in overlooking the smaller, script-related absurdities, resulting in an attractive mix of intellect, sex appeal, calm, and madness. Jodie Turner-Smith is extremely attractive, Gretchen Mole surprises with her prudence, and Angus Sampson with his ease. Meanwhile, Eoin Macken shows signs of emotional conflict, and David Ajala, my favorite, plays an exceptionally mysterious leader. I want to travel with them through space, although I’d prefer that the sense of their journey be explained to me in a more accessible way.