Kiefer Sutherland And Alexander Skarsgård Co-Starred In An Underappreciated Sci-Fi Movie

There are several end-of-the-world movies that feature cataclysmic events threatening all life on Earth. Some are set before the end comes, some during it, and some after it has occurred. "Melancholia" is one film that takes place in the stages leading up to those final moments and what it means to be human.

Released in 2011, "Melancholia" follows the family troubles of Justine, Michael, Claire, and John, played respectively by Kirsten Dunst, Alexander Skarsgård, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Kiefer Sutherland, who starred in the espionage thriller "Rabbit Hole" on Paramount Plus. In "Melancholia," family troubles and high-running tension between characters ruin a wedding and end a marriage. Meanwhile, Earth is on a collision course with a planet called Melancholia. It's an edgy flick that blends science fiction with drama through how the characters interact with each other as both their relationships and the world crumble to pieces.

Critics generally enjoyed that combination of heart-wrenching storytelling blended with a world-ending twist, but the movie didn't do so well overall at the box office. With an estimated budget of $7.4 million, the film made only around $3 million in ticket sales across the United States and Canada. The movie may have been underappreciated in the theater, but viewers seemed to really like it. It has an 80% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, and its Universal Acclaim score at Metacritic sits at a healthy 81.

With the star-studded cast mentioned above, "Melancholia" brought enough firepower to score some viewers on name recognition alone, and the stars generally delivered. Dunst earned multiple best actress awards for portraying Justine. Kiefer Sutherland, meanwhile, garnered multiple nominations for best supporting actor, with Alexander Skarsgård earning one best supporting actor nomination and winning the breakthrough performer award at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The bonus for him was that he got to act alongside his father, Stellan Skarsgård, on the film.

The plot is about more than just the end of times. It follows Justine and Claire as they put their strained family relationship to the test. It's a story about depression and its impact on not just individual people, but those around them. Justine is struggling with depression, even on the happiest day of her life  — her wedding to Michael, played by Skarsgård, star of Murderbot. All the while, blue planet Melancholia is discovered to be on a crash course with Earth, which has many believing the end is coming, while others are skeptical. Justine's sister Claire wrestles with the approaching disaster.

Many reviewers lauded the four main characters for the depth and emotion they add to the plot. Director Lars von Trier (of "Breaking the Waves" and "Dogville" fame) combines depression, fear, and fate to tell a heartfelt tale about family and being human. The performances by the actors really take the film to another level, making it more than an end-times movie.

"Melancholia" is not just about the planet being destroyed, but how people act knowing the end is coming and what it means to care deeply and feel. For those who have seen it, the general consensus is that it's a character-driven drama with incredible performances by its leading and award-winning cast.

One Letterboxd reviewer summed up the emotional impact of the story and Justine's character and dissociation from the world, events, and people by stating, "I don't think there's been a better film made about depression ever or since." Others praised the film and its portrayal of depression and how director Lars von Trier captured the disease with precision and care.

Based on reviews, you could even make an argument to "Melancholia" rank among the best sci-fi movies made, though its themes really extend beyond the bounds of the genre. The end of the world is a major factor of the film as well, but it may as well be a secondary character to the main protagonists. "Melancholia" is about the end of the world, but more so, it's about the struggles of everyday people and how they deal with and care for themselves when dark and challenging times arise.