Geostorm

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Geostorm is available in Australia on ABC iview, and in the US on YouTube TV right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 5,227 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Gerard Butler — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Put it on tonight on ABC iview and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Geostorm earns its spot. What makes Geostorm work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threatened the planet, the world's leaders came together to create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate and keep everyone safe. But now, something has gone wrong: the system built to protect Earth is attacking it, and it becomes a race against the clock to uncover the real threat before a worldwide geostorm wipes out everything and everyone along with it. Gerard Butler and Alexandra Maria Lara lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. It hit screens in 2017. What separates Geostorm from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. 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 Geostorm a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Watch for Gerard Butler in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.