Most critics have their personal favorite directors, and it’s sometimes a challenge to keep strict objectivity when reviewing one of their projects. That’s why it pains me to write about “Asteroid City,” the sluggish, smug, exasperating new film from co-writer and director Wes Anderson. In what is unquestionably his worst film by a mile, Anderson leans too heavily on his ordered, signature visual symmetry, saturated color palate, and A-list cast while completely forgetting how to make an entertaining movie.
The film takes place in a tiny desert town (famous for their giant crater) where the Junior Stargazers and Space Cadets are holding their awards convention. The event brings together students and their parents, all oddballs in their own right, from all over the country. When a UFO is spotted, the visitors are quarantined until the government deems it safe for them to return to the real world.
The plot is thin yet confusing, as the film simultaneously depicts the events of the convention in the form of a stage play, the creation of the play, and the actual events in a retro version of 1955. With so much going on, you’d think it would be at least mildly interesting, but the movie is sluggish and packed with conversational and head-scratching filler that lends nothing to the story.
There is a wacky cast of (too many) characters, and only a handful turn out to be memorable. The expected roster of Anderson regulars make an appearance (Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson) as well as big names that are new to working with the director (Bryan Cranston, Tom Hanks, Maya Hawke, Matt Dillon, Steve Carell, Liev Schreiber, Hong Chau, Jake Ryan). It’s a dream of a cast list, but this film goes to show that a talented roster doesn’t always result in a gem. There’s nothing wrong with any of the performances, but it’s the source material that needs a lot of work.
“Asteroid City” may be visually delightful, but it is filled with a detached, hipster indifference that’s off-putting. This is one of the biggest failures of the year, and it’s not because the film is “too Wes Anderson-y,” nor is it because of the general Anderson fatigue: this movie is a series of flagrant missteps that cause the project to flounder and fall.