Ash, the newest sci-fi horror film on the block, is an absolute mind-melter. We could have one of the next great horror directors in the making right here.

Flying Lotus has proved himself an accomplished artist in the music world. From his rapping and DJ work to adult swim musical bumpers and curation in the most successful piece of media of all time Grand Theft Auto V. So it comes as no surprise when he stepped into the world of filmmaking that he would bring his trademark aesthetics and world-building to a whole new form of media.

This is my prolonged way of saying that Ash, the newest sci-fi horror film on the block, is an absolute mind-melter.

Ash follows Riya (Eiza González), the lone survivor of a space station accident that left her entire crew dead and her stranded out in the middle of space. With absolutely no knowledge of the events that transpired aside from brief flashes, she sets out to discover what happened and if she can trust Brion (Aaron Paul),who claims he’s there to rescue her.

Right from the start Ash establishes itself firmly in the realm of cosmic horror. The sky space lit up in various hues of purple and red give off a sense of unknown and overwhelming danger engulfing Riya in every step she takes. Haunted by memories she can’t remember that manifest themselves as faces melting and morphing into shapes that are uncomfortably inhuman. Flying Lotus has a keen eye for visuals as proven in his previous works and he applied that visual language to a genre that is often overcrowded and in the process finds a way to stand out from the pack. From engulfing darkness and hellish landscapes to bright and warm tones of past memories, the use of color and lighting is used to great effect here. There’s even some surprising biomes present that I won’t dare spoil because they left me so confused and shellshocked in the best way possible.

González is fantastic as Riya. As an actress she’s often found in supporting roles but her work in Ash proves her to be a competent lead. We’ve seen the “protagonist has amnesia” act numerous times in film history but the way she portrays Riya makes her an active participant in her own story that could’ve easily had her as a clueless damsel. She’s competent and in a realistic manner and is an intriguing audience insert. Paul is great as Brion too, proving a counter for her to bounce off of. This is easily a role that could’ve been forgettable but Paul brings a sense of aura to the role that made them an entertaining duo to watch for the duration of the film.

Which leads me to my biggest criticism of Ash, the story. For a film with unique visuals and rock solid acting and directing the story doesn’t feel like anything we haven’t seen before. A character with amnesia, a dying planet, a space disaster, not knowing who to trust in a dire situation, it’s all evocative of other films we’ve seen in the genre such as Prometheus or Annihilation. That’s not to say it’s bad per se but more that I felt the beats coming before they played out on screen leaving the reveals to have less impact than intended.

Ash is a great, sometimes superb sci-fi horror outing from one of the most promising directors in the genre. Though the story didn’t absolutely blow me away, Flying Lotus uses tight direction and insane visuals to evoke terror to great effect. It also helps that his leads are fantastic. Truth be told, I’ll watch anything Flying Lotus makes if it carries the same quality standard that Ash has. We could have one of the next great horror directors in the making right here.

Grade: B

Oscar Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Where to Watch: In Theaters