Written by Robyn Lim 
Edited by Regiena Siy 

“Hope is something precious like a diamond in our time.” This was one of the most impactful lines in The Wandering Earth. The film is set in the future where the world worked together to move the Earth into a new solar system,  since the current solar system’s sun is bound to explode in 100 years. As time went by, the wandering Earth’s trajectory became endangered by the possibility of colliding with Jupiter. Despite being a science fiction movie, The Wandering Earth is a film that will be worth watching because of the great plot, amazing special effects, and an impactful  theme.

Firstly, the plot revolves around the perspectives of Peiqiang Liu, an astronaut serving at a space station that ensures Earth’s travel, and Qi Liu, a young mechanic who is also Peiqiang’s son. Through the two perspectives, the conflict slowly unravels itself from a simple life in a post-apocalyptic world to a life-or-death situation involving the whole Earth. The beautiful cinematography enhances the plot by allowing the audience to pick up the small details that connect the whole story. By the end, the audience becomes invested in the characters, wishing for the best-case scenario to happen after each disaster.

The second point that makes the movie worthwhile is its amazing special effects. Set in a bleak future, the effects are used to bring the sci-fi future into reality. The film uses sceneries that are familiar to the modern world yet different. In this way, the audience relates to the far-off plot. For instance, the three main places in the movie are the underground cities, the surface of Earth, and the space station. The underground cities were filled with pipes and metallic walls. Meanwhile, the surface is the frozen remains of the modern world. Each breath-taking scenery has elements of real-life but aged into the apocalypse that the movie presents. The ones mentioned are the tip of the iceberg on all the effects used to bring this world into reality on the screen. 

Finally, the core theme of the movie is hope. Hope is the driving force of the narrative and becomes the reason for the plot. As if comparing the world’s situation with the pandemic, the movie shows how humanity unites as one when the Earth is at threat of extinction. At the climax, every character fights hard against all odds in a hope for humanity’s survival. 

The Wandering Earth is a great film to watch especially during these trying times. The plot presents itself in a simple manner for the audience to follow despite the movie being set in an unrealistic timeline. Moreover, the cinematic effects pull the audience into the reality of the film. Finally, the simple theme of hope allows the audience to be invested in the narrative. With all these aspects in a thriller movie, the film would leave their audience speechless in the end. In conclusion, The Wandering Earth is a film worth watching.