Approaching the Unknown

You don't need another "hidden gem sci-fi" list — Approaching the Unknown is simply a strong one. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 5/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Mark Strong — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

There is a reason Approaching the Unknown keeps coming up in conversation. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Approaching the Unknown through its more ambitious moments. Captain William Stanaforth is on a one-way solo mission to take the first steps in colonising Mars. Like all pioneers throughout history, Stanaforth will face insurmountable odds and life and death decisions as he rockets bravely through space. Mark Strong and Luke Wilson lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. It hit screens in 2016. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Approaching the Unknown a chance. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Mark Strong's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.

Approaching the Unknown was released in 2016, directed by Mark Elijah Rosenberg. The full 90-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.