‘Ash’ Review: In Her First Lead Role, Eiza González Channels Her Inner Ripley in Video Game Style Psychedelic Headtrip [B-] | SXSW
Composer, music producer, and filmmaker Flying Lotus openly expressed at the SXSW premiere of his new film Ash that the film is heavily inspired by some of his favorite video games, ranging from Silent Hill to Dead Space. Frankly, that is the perfect description, as you can easily tell where the passion is coming from. Like most mystery horror games, the film opens with our protagonist Riya (Eiza González) waking up on a distant planet with no memory of who she is and how she got there. Worse, her entire crew has been brutally slaughtered. And like a first-person video game, the audience is in step with Riya as she navigates around the base to potentially pick up some clues that would reawaken her memories.
But the situation is a bit more complicated than that. The main computer system has completely malfunctioned, the station is slowly running out of oxygen, and fellow crew mate Brion (Aaron Paul) suddenly arrives, claiming he heard Riya’s distress call. Most of all, they are on a completely new planet, dubbed “Ash” by the crew.
For most of the first half, Ash wanders around the tension of slowly uncovering a mystery, as Riya comes to remember her fellow crew members and their mission: to scout this new planet as a possible new home for humanity. Via invasive flashbacks that cut into Riya’s psyche like nails to a chalkboard, the script tries to take its time to drop breadcrumbs for the audience to slowly put together the puzzle. Along the way, however, the horror part is heavily reliant on jump scares, loud noises, and psychedelic visuals that are fascinating at some places and then obnoxious at others.
Flying Lotus clearly has a talent for color and imagery. Nearly every room in the base is drenched in vibrant neon lights, while our otherworldly planet consists of lightning storms and swirling clouds, almost as if the atmosphere itself is a cosmic being that’s alive. But more often than not, the visuals are on screen to create a vibe, rather than to be in service of storytelling. It is undeniable that Ash takes a while to get going, as it finally reveals what’s really going on and the conflict escalates.
Once the film takes itself up a notch, from revealing what exactly happened to the crew mates to the truth about this planet they are on, the film begins to show its love for the craft of making twisted, gnarly, sci-fi horror. Films like Alien, Event Horizon, and The Thing definitely pop up in some way, shape, or form, as we careen through some classic tropes like infections and parasitic aliens. But for a production that is undoubtedly a low budget indie, Ash looks expensive and big, a secret weapon that really helps the third act deliver that sense of satisfaction. Credit must go to both production designer Ross McGarva and the costume/prop designer Aitor Throup – a couple highlights include the astronaut suit design as well as a rather funny Japanese surgery robot.
But the biggest strength of the film is Eiza González herself. In her most emotionally demanding and physically exhausting performance to date, González channels her inner Ellen Ripley and carries the entire film on her shoulders. Even if the writing itself is light on Riya’s complexity or her relationship with her crew mates, much of the emotional weight is still beautifully conveyed by her face. Meanwhile, she is more than capable of defending herself from any threats, personal or cosmic, and earning that “final girl” title. For an actress who has been in countless action movies as a minor character, González steps up to #1 on the call sheet with such strength and vigor, as if she’s always been the lead heroine.
Ash isn’t the smartest sci-fi horror movie, and frankly, you will think of plenty of other titles as you’re watching it. It’s got a loud pounding score ripped right out of a Doom video game and an oppressive sound design that can be immersive to some and unpleasant to others. But thankfully it escalates into a fun gooey nightmare by its second half. Meanwhile, González will keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, while Flying Lotus is more than happy to shove your face into the fever dream clouds.
Grade: B-
This review is from the 2025 SXSW Film and Television Festival. Ash will be distributed worldwide by Amazon Prime Video and RLJE Films and in the U.S. by Shudder on March 21, 2025.
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