Solar Crisis

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Solar Crisis is available in the US on Starz Apple TV Channel right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 4/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Tim Matheson's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Available now on Starz Apple TV Channel — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Solar Crisis is worth clearing space for. What makes Solar Crisis work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. A huge solar flare is predicted to fry the Earth. Astronauts aboard the spaceship Helios must go to the Sun to drop a bomb equipped with an Artificial Intelligence and a Japanese pilot at the right time so the flare will point somewhere else. Tim Matheson and Charlton Heston lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. It hit screens in 1992. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Solar Crisis a chance. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Tim Matheson grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.

Solar Crisis was released in 1992, directed by Richard C. Sarafian. The full 112-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.