Oxygen is a 2021 French survival thriller about a woman that wakes in a cryogenic chamber with no recollection of how she got there. Quickly, she must find a way out before running out of air.
Directed by Alexandre Aja (Crawl; Piranha 3D; The Hills Have Eyes; High Tension) from a screenplay written by Christie LeBlanc wrote the script. Produced by Vincent Maraval, Brahim Chioua, Noëmie Devide, Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur.
The movie stars Mélanie Laurent (6 Underground; Inglourious Basterds), Mathieu Amalric, Malik Zidi, Marc Saez, Eric Herson-Macarel and Cathy Cerda.
Plot:
A young woman (Mélanie Laurent), who wakes up in a cryogenic pod. She doesn’t remember who she is or how she ended up there. As she’s running out of oxygen, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out of her nightmare…
Reviews:
” …because there’s so much mystery, Aja makes us believe that anything could happen. The film is basically playing a game with the audience where you’re trying to see if you can figure out what’s happening before the woman does, and while sometimes trying to get ahead of a film can be a pointless endeavor, Oxygen makes it fun and thrilling.” Collider
“Juiced by enough intrigue to keep you guessing while simultaneously being streamlined, Oxygen doesn’t require a massive screen or a full “bells and whistles” experience. You can casually enjoy it during dinner and, even with subtitles, occasionally glance down at your plate without running the risk of missing anything memorable.” Culture Crypt
“There is admirable ambition with the theme of eternal love (trust me, that’s still intentionally vague as to keep what’s really going a secret) that Alexandre Aja is going for. And although it never fully resonates dramatically, the stressed and terrified claustrophobic performance from Melanie Laurent elevates what is, ultimately, a series of revelations escalating in privacy and scope.” Flickering Myth
“This is a decidedly different film for Alexandre Aja, but you can still spy his horror influences in every frame. It takes skill to make a one-woman single-setting into something extraordinary, and Oxygen accomplishes just that. It’s a fast-paced, explosive watch with plenty to discuss long after it comes up for air.” Josh @ the Movies
“Oxygen cuts away to flashbacks a little too often to keep the tension going as consistently as it should, which results in it running a touch too long, and I don’t know that it’s exciting enough to warrant multiple re-watches once you know all the answers, but all in all, Oxygen is a fine film that brings us face to face with our own humanity and dares you to stay calm as it squeezes your nerves.” Killer Horror Critic
“Rather than shouting at the screen to warn Elizabeth of any dangers and doublecrosses we’re privy to, we simply watch passively as she attempts to crack the mystery […] by the halfway point, you’ll likely be disengaged […] its sober tone and lack of emotional engagement makes its real-time 100 minutes suffocating for the wrong reasons.” The Movie Waffler
“Once the blunt-force shock of the gripping first act has faded and the disorienting whirlwind of screenplay surprises has settled, the movie is decidedly less engaging. Nevertheless, with Laurent leading the way, Oxygen charts a relatively strong course from start to finish. At its best, it’s a Hitchcockian edge-of-your-seater…” The People’s Movies
” …Oxygen keeps itself humming at a brisk pace, with a performance by Laurent that holds our attention and a plot that has more than its fair share of twists, both predictable and inventive. While it’s not completely without substance, it certainly has an engaging style, which almost makes up for missed narrative opportunities.” Screen Anarchy
Release date:
Oxygen will stream on Netflix on May 12, 2021.
Teaser trailer:
Trailer:
Ending explained:
