Ash (2025) Review: A Visually Stunning and Emotionally Gripping Sci-Fi Mystery

Imagine waking on a foreign planet, isolated from everything you know, only to discover the crewmates you trusted lying lifeless around you — their bodies mangled by an unknown force. This is the harrowing journey of Riya, portrayed by Eiza González, in Ash (2025), a tense, moody sci-fi horror film directed by Flying Lotus.

A single location in space, an unreliable memory, and an ominous alien threat lurking just beyond your line of sight — Ash is designed to keep your nerves on edge from the very first scene. When Riya opens her eyes in the desolate outpost on this mysterious planet, her memory is fractured, and every fragment that returns leads to more questions. As she struggles to piece together what happened, a lone traveler named Brion (Aaron Paul) arrives, but his presence only makes Riya’s isolation and uncertainty grow. Is he her salvation, or a hidden threat behind the carnage she’s witnessed?

A Space Mystery Like No Other

From the moment Riya awakens on the planet Ash, the film plunges viewers into a psychological and physical puzzle. Director Flying Lotus focuses on building a sense of claustrophobia and disorientation, so that you feel as though you, too, are trapped alongside the protagonist. The minimalist design of the base camp and the sparse number of survivors allow the tension to build to nearly unbearable levels. You want answers as desperately as Riya does — but Ash never gives away its secrets too easily. As new developments and recovered memories complicate the story, the film keeps a firm grip on its central mystery, daring you to solve it before it unravels on screen.

A major factor in this tension is the potent soundscape created by Flying Lotus, who also composed the film’s score. A subtle, dissonant hum laces the film with a constant feeling of unease that intensifies with every revelation. This approach, where the music fuses seamlessly with the setting and visuals, generates a palpable sense of dread. You feel compelled to question every sign of movement, every flickering light, and every silhouette beyond the dusty windows of the alien terrain.

Gorgeous Visuals Meet Grisly Horror

Even in its most gruesome moments, Ash manages to stun you with its exquisite visual language. The base’s corridors, drenched in neon-blue emergency lighting, evoke a mix of futuristic minimalism and retro design influences. As Riya wanders these halls, the sight of her slaughtered crew, illuminated by harsh reds, shocks you into realizing just how dangerous this place has become. The vividly colored sets and the unnerving stillness of the planet’s ashy exterior also create an otherworldly aesthetic that draws you deeper into the film’s reality.

The scorched alien landscape outside the station is a haunting spectacle: swirling debris, streaks of light cutting through the sky, and a perpetual haze of ash that settles on every surface. Visually, the planet feels both breathtaking and threatening, inviting viewers to experience its hypnotic beauty while fearing what may be hidden among the drifting particles. The movie’s reliance on practical effects and carefully designed sets further amplifies the terror, making each grisly moment feel alarmingly real.

Eiza González’s Standout Performance

A film like Ash relies heavily on the protagonist’s ability to convey fear, confusion, and courage, often all at once. Eiza González delivers on every front, showcasing a masterful command of her character’s emotional journey. At times, Riya appears paralyzed by terror as she pieces together horrifying clues and grapples with her possible role in the violence. In other scenes, she displays remarkable resolve, fighting back against unknown forces that threaten her sanity and survival.

In these moments of confrontation, González swings between vulnerability and determination so effortlessly that you can’t help but empathize with her plight. Her dynamic interplay with Aaron Paul (who portrays the enigmatic Brion) fuels the film’s tension. Each new revelation shatters any sense of security their characters may momentarily establish, leaving you to wonder whether the actual danger lies in an alien menace or a more human betrayal.

Familiar Influences, Unique Execution

Ash certainly wears its sci-fi horror influences on its sleeve, nodding to classics like Alien and The Thing through its use of claustrophobic sets and shocking body horror. However, the film manages to carve out its own identity by blending in elements of psychological thriller and survival mystery. Flying Lotus balances these well-worn genre tropes with a striking use of color, sound, and flashback-driven storytelling, imbuing each scene with a sense of both homage and innovation.

By peppering the narrative with vivid, delirious visions and disturbing hints of what transpired before Riya woke, Ash finds fresh ways to unsettle the audience. The result is a film that keeps its secrets close, teasing out details in a way that simultaneously satisfies and heightens the tension. Moreover, this approach sparks deeper questions about the very nature of paranoia. Are we facing a cosmic, alien threat that’s acting out of territorial defense, or are humans the greatest danger to themselves?

Where to Find More on Ash

If you’re intrigued by the psychological twists and horrifying discoveries in Ash, there’s even more to explore beyond the movie itself. What’s After the Movie’s comprehensive movie database has movie quizzes, film summaries, and links to other major movie information providers. We offer an interactive experience for film fans, allowing you to dive deep into the lore and secrets of your favorite releases.

To learn more specifically about Ash, check out the film’s dedicated page on What’s After the Movie, which offers trivia and background details that heighten your appreciation for Flying Lotus’s space horror extravaganza. And if you’re looking for additional reads, opinions, or discussions, check out the blog.

Ash (2025) has drawn attention from numerous prominent sites and critics. Each platform offers its own perspective, from in-depth critiques of the acting and direction to discussions on the film’s cultural impact. If you want to see how Ash is stacking up, or you just crave more analyses of its mind-bending horror, consider visiting: Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, JustWatch, Box Office Mojo, Movie Insider, Wikipedia, Common Sense Media, Fandango, and Letterboxd, where you can find updates on streaming options, box office statistics, and fan ratings.

Final Verdict: A Nightmarish Yet Thrilling Watch

Ash (2025) pays homage to the sci-fi horror greats while confidently blazing its own trail of neon-drenched paranoia and haunting isolation. Flying Lotus’s carefully crafted score, combined with mesmerizing cinematography, enriches the film’s grim setting and elevates its unpredictable narrative. You’ll find yourself oscillating between dread and fascination, never quite knowing who (or what) is pulling the strings behind the planet’s deadly secrets.

Eiza González leads the charge in a performance that anchors the entire production, compelling us to share in her confusion and desperation as she fights for survival. Whether you’re a veteran fan of space-set horror or new to the genre, Ash is bound to leave you exhilarated, unsettled, and eager for more details about what exactly happened in that dark outpost on the distant planet.