The movie takes place almost entirely at one such outpost where, like clockwork, two custodians named Bauer (Reedus) and Cartwright (Hounsou) are awakened from their stasis every six months to check all of the bells and whistles to make sure things are running smoothly. They have a set time in which to accomplish these tasks because they only have so much air released into the base during this time. Naturally, they also have to check in on what Bauer refers to as "the sleepers," those important people kept in stasis in an effort to rebuild the human race once the air is again breathable. Unfortunately, during this maintenance check-up, things go a bit awry.
For starters, Cartwright keeps having hallucinations of a beautiful woman named Abby (Sandrine Holt), someone he obviously cares for deeply. However, these visions are causing him to be very distracted and could quite possibly be a harbinger of his insanity. When one of the custodians' stasis machines becomes destroyed and the clock is ticking on their timed allotment of air, they must come up with a way for both of them to survive and this is going to require some fast thinking and exploration of their base and the dangerous area surrounding it. The problem is, Bauer is starting to doubt Cartwright's trustworthiness and dependability, especially when strange things start happening. Can the pair trust each other and work together enough to survive this dangerous time or will the keepers of humanity's last hope perish?
AIR has some suspenseful moments, but overall, I found it to be quite slow. It's a "small" movie, both in the sets, the cast and the claustrophobic feel. It feels very much like an independent film, but that is not meant to be derogatory. The acting is excellent, just don't come into it expecting a grand sci-fi blockbuster.
There are two special features, one focusing on the film's creation and the other going behind the scenes with Reedus and Hounsou. Of the two, I preferred the interviews with Reedus and Hounsou because they are both very interesting actors.
If you are expecting something that will leave you on the edge of your seat like an episode of The Walking Dead, you will be sorely disappointed. However, if you are just looking for a different, more quiet take on the post-apocalyptic premise (and/or you just want another excuse to look at Norman Reedus, which let's face it, is a perfectly viable reason for watching it), you might want to check out AIR.
