Space Cadet (2024) Movie Review: A Cosmic Adventure with Heart and Humor

Space Cadet (2024): Emma Roberts Can't Save This Grounded Comedy

Rating: 2.2/5 Stars

You know that feeling when you're watching a movie and you can practically see the executives in the room pitching it? "It's like 'Legally Blonde' meets 'The Right Stuff'!" they probably said, completely missing what made either of those films work. "Space Cadet" is the unfortunate result of that kind of high-concept thinking - a film that takes a potentially charming premise and executes it with all the finesse of a crash landing.

Emma Roberts stars as Tiffany "Rex" Simpson, a Florida party girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut but has somehow ended up bartending and living with her mom. Through a series of increasingly ridiculous circumstances (and some creative application fraud), she winds up in NASA's competitive astronaut training program, where she must prove she belongs among the nation's brightest and most qualified candidates.

If that premise sounds familiar, it's because we've seen variations of it countless times before. The fish-out-of-water comedy where an underdog infiltrates an elite institution is a tried-and-true formula, but "Space Cadet" manages to make it feel both stale and insulting to everyone involved - the audience, NASA, and even Emma Roberts herself.

Emma Roberts Deserves Better

Let's start with what works: Emma Roberts is genuinely trying here. Despite some poor decisions and some overdone moments, Roberts' performance seems to be one she's enjoying so much it would be impossible not to enjoy it with her. She brings her trademark blend of vulnerability and determination to Rex, and there are moments where her natural charisma almost makes you forget how terrible the script is.

Roberts has proven herself capable of both comedy and drama in projects like "American Horror Story" and "Nancy Drew," but "Space Cadet" doesn't play to any of her strengths. Instead, it asks her to be a broad caricature of the "dumb blonde with hidden depths" character that went out of style about twenty years ago.

The performance feels like Roberts is working twice as hard as she should have to, trying to inject life into dialogue that seems written by someone who's never actually met a real person. She deserves credit for commitment, but this material is beneath her talents.

A Script That Never Achieves Orbit

Writer-director Liz W. Garcia has crafted a screenplay that feels like it was assembled from rejected jokes from better movies. "Space Cadet" feels like a movie that did the bare minimum when it came time to research our space program. The film throws around space terminology without understanding what any of it means, creating scenarios that are so far-fetched they become insulting.

The biggest problem is that the script never commits to what kind of movie it wants to be. Is it a broad physical comedy? A heartwarming underdog story? A satire of institutional elitism? Garcia tries to be all of these things and succeeds at none of them.

The dialogue is particularly painful. Characters speak in exposition dumps disguised as conversation, explaining plot points and emotional beats that should be shown rather than told. Rex's interactions with her fellow trainees feel artificial, lacking the authentic chemistry that would make us care about their relationships.

Supporting Cast Lost in Space

Gabrielle Union appears as Rex's commanding officer, and she does what she can with a severely underwritten role. Union is a talented actress who deserves better than playing the stern authority figure who gradually learns to respect the plucky protagonist. It's a thankless part that exists solely to provide obstacles and eventual validation.

Tom Hopper plays Logan, a fellow trainee who becomes Rex's love interest, and their romantic subplot is about as developed as you'd expect from a movie this lazy. The chemistry between Roberts and Hopper is fine, but the script gives them nothing interesting to work with. Their relationship follows every predictable beat of the "opposites attract" playbook.

The other trainees are essentially cardboard cutouts representing different types of overachievers. There's the uptight perfectionist, the cocky hotshot, the quiet genius - all archetypes we've seen a thousand times before, none given enough personality to justify their existence beyond moving the plot forward.

NASA Deserves an Apology

One of the most frustrating aspects of "Space Cadet" is how it treats NASA and the astronaut training program. The film seems to view the space agency as nothing more than a stuffy institution that needs to be loosened up by Rex's free spirit, completely ignoring the incredible dedication and expertise required to become an astronaut.

The training sequences are so simplified and cartoonish that they make the program look like an expensive summer camp rather than one of the most demanding selection processes in the world. The film's depiction of NASA protocols and procedures is so inaccurate it becomes distracting.

There's a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes space exploration inspiring. Instead of celebrating the incredible human achievement of space travel, the film treats it as a backdrop for tired physical comedy and predictable character arcs.

Technical Aspects That Don't Take Flight

The production values are competent but uninspired. The film was shot partly at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, which provides some authentic-looking backgrounds, but the overall visual design feels generic and made-for-TV.

The special effects work is adequate for the film's modest budget, though the space-related sequences feel more like theme park attractions than genuine training simulations. The production design makes an effort to create authentic-looking NASA facilities, but the attention to detail doesn't extend to making the procedures or protocols believable.

The editing is choppy, particularly during the comedy sequences. Jokes that might have worked with better timing fall flat due to poor pacing, and the film never finds a consistent rhythm.

Critical Reception and Audience Response

On Rotten Tomatoes, 27% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Never achieving liftoff despite Emma Roberts' peppy performance, Space Cadet flunks out of the school of high-concept comedy."

The harsh critical reception isn't surprising. This marks Roberts' third consecutive low-rated film, following Madame Web and Maybe I Do. It's becoming clear that Roberts needs to be more selective about her projects, particularly in the comedy genre where her recent efforts have consistently failed to connect with audiences and critics.

However, some viewers found it to be "a feel good comedy" with "likeable characters" and "many funny moments and positive messages about friendship and working together." There's clearly an audience for this type of lightweight entertainment, even if the execution leaves much to be desired.

What Could Have Been

The core concept isn't without merit. There's definitely room for a comedy about someone unconventional succeeding in NASA's astronaut program, but it would require more research, better writing, and a genuine respect for both the subject matter and the audience's intelligence.

A more successful version of this story might have focused on the real challenges of astronaut training while finding humor in the culture clash between different types of achievers. It could have celebrated both Rex's unique perspective and the incredible dedication of her fellow trainees.

Instead, we get a film that treats everyone involved - characters and audience alike - as if they're not very bright. It's comedy writing at its laziest, relying on tired stereotypes and predictable situations rather than genuine wit or insight.

Streaming Service Fodder

The movie's plot feels more suitable for a Disney Channel release, lacking character growth and full of implausible storytelling. This assessment feels accurate - "Space Cadet" has the feel of a film made to fill programming slots rather than to entertain or inspire.

The film premiered on Prime Video, which feels like the right home for this type of content. It's the kind of movie you might put on as background entertainment, but it doesn't demand or reward close attention.

Final Thoughts

"Space Cadet" is a frustrating waste of talent and potential. Emma Roberts deserves better material, Gabrielle Union deserves a more substantial role, and audiences deserve comedy that respects their intelligence. The film takes an interesting premise and executes it with such a lack of imagination that it becomes actively annoying.

The movie's biggest sin isn't that it's unfunny (though it often is) - it's that it's lazy. Every joke, every character beat, every plot development feels like it was chosen because it was the first idea anyone had, not because it was the best idea.

As one viewer noted, "the more I think about it, the lower the score goes." That's exactly the problem with "Space Cadet" - it's the kind of movie that gets worse the more you think about it, revealing new layers of missed opportunities and wasted potential.

If you're an Emma Roberts completist or desperately need something mindless to watch while doing chores, "Space Cadet" might serve that purpose. But for anyone looking for genuine laughs, compelling characters, or even basic competence in filmmaking, this mission is a failure.

Bottom Line: A high-concept comedy that crashes and burns due to lazy writing, poor execution, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes either space exploration or comedy compelling.

Perfect For: Die-hard Emma Roberts fans, viewers who enjoy mindless streaming content, and anyone who found "Legally Blonde" too sophisticated.

Skip If: You want intelligent comedy, you have any knowledge of or respect for NASA, or you prefer movies that treat their subjects and audiences with basic respect.

Best Viewing Experience: This is perfect streaming fodder for when you need something playing in the background while you're doing something else. Don't give it your full attention - it doesn't deserve it and won't reward it.