What would you do if you woke up enclosed in a cryogenic pod? Darkness around you, air running out, unable to breathe, unsure how you got there? How would you survive?
This is the central question powering Alexandre Aja's next horror-thriller, Oxygen, which is set to stream globally on Netflix this spring. And it's the one that intrigued Aja (High Tension, Crawl) to direct the film itself. As he told our own Steve Weintraub, "I was in it all the way, I pictured myself waking up locked in this cryo unit, trying to figure out who put me there and why, I felt her desperation." And if you want to feel her desperation, you'll get a thrill from these exclusive images below.
The "her" trapped in this device is Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds), whose character lives in a near future where breathable air is hard to come by, and must claw her way out of this situation with her life intact. The script comes from Christie LeBlanc, and when Aja first read it, he felt "like it captured such an intense experience of survival so well. It got me thinking of the best of Buried, but with a 28 Days Later twist... The story is a mystery box built like a labyrinth from which you have to escape." Aja directed the film "so fast... in Paris in between the two last waves of the pandemic," and believes the film's message is ultimately inspiring for those of us still stuck trying to survive this dang pandemic. "The movie looked oddly reflective of what we went through during lockdown," explained Aja. "Of the need to breathe, to escape."
The film also stars Mathieu Amalric (Sound of Metal) and Malik Zidi. It's produced by Aja, Vincent Maraval (French Exit), Brahim Chioua (Climax), Noëmie Devide (Spring Breakers), and regular Aja collaborator Gregory Levasseur. Oxygen comes to Netflix spring of 2021.
Take a deep breath and check out our exclusive images below along with the official synopsis and more from our exclusive interview with Alexandre Aja.
Oxygen is a French survival thriller directed by Alexandre Aja. The film tells the story of a young woman (Mélanie Laurent, 6 Underground, Inglourious Basterds), 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.
The film was shot in French, but will be available in 35 languages on Netflix once released.
Collider: What was it about this project that said 'I want to make it'?
ALEXANDRE AJA: I remember reading Christie LeBlanc’s script when it appeared on the Black List and feeling like it captured such an intense experience of survival so well. It got me thinking of the best of Buried, but with a 28 Days Later twist. I was in it all the way, I pictured myself waking up locked in this cryo unit, trying to figure out who put me there and why, I felt her desperation.
The story is a mystery box built like a labyrinth from which you have to escape.
I was initially supposed to produce as I was on board to direct another project, but when Covid hit us that production took a hit too and I had an opportunity to direct Oxygen. What added to my decision was that the movie looked oddly reflective of what we went through during lockdown, of the need to breathe, to escape.
How do you compare the film to your previous work?
AJA: I'm always looking for stories I would want to see as an audience member. Specifically survival stories. In these troubled times, I find them very helpful and inspiring.
Had you seen the Ryan Reynolds film Buried before doing the project and did you learn anything watching that film that helped you make Oxygen?
AJA: Buried is definitely one of those “why didn’t I think about that” kind of cinematic experiences. Oxygen starts off in a similar way but then takes a big post apocalyptic and emotional departure.
How have you been describing the film to friends?
AJA: Oxygen is an edge of your seat sci-fi thriller with a really emotional and maybe existential twist.
What do you like about working internationally with Netflix?
AJA: They pulled the trigger so fast, allowing us to shoot in Paris in between the two last waves of the pandemic. Collaboration with their international team was great. I had the creative freedom to adapt the script in French, work with Mélanie Laurent and bring my vision to the story.
What do you like about low-budget character-driven stuff after something intense like Crawl?
AJA: Oxygen was not exactly a low budget film. The single location, single character DNA of the film made it less expensive but it shares the same ambition of Crawl.
What has the editing process been like since Netflix can release whatever version they want without having to worry about the rating?
AJA: The story of Oxygen isn't super bloody, so I didn’t need to take advantage of Netflix's no rating policy yet. Maybe on the next one!
Any last things you want to tell people about the movie?
AJA: Take a deep breath!
