Sputnik (2020)
“Sputnik” is a 2020 Russian science fiction horror film directed by Egor Abramenko. The story is set during the Cold War in 1983 and follows the mysterious and chilling events surrounding a Soviet space mission.
The film begins with a spacecraft returning to Earth, carrying two cosmonauts. After a crash landing, only one cosmonaut, Konstantin Veshnyakov (played by Pyotr Fyodorov), is found alive but with no memory of the mission’s catastrophic failure. Konstantin is taken to a secluded military facility for examination.
Dr. Tatyana Klimova (played by Oksana Akinshina), a controversial but brilliant neurophysiologist, is brought in to evaluate Konstantin. She discovers that he has returned with an extraterrestrial organism inside his body that emerges at night, feeding off his host. The Soviet military, led by Colonel Semiradov (played by Fedor Bondarchuk), sees the potential to weaponize the creature, while Dr. Klimova is determined to save Konstantin and uncover the truth.
“Sputnik” is praised for its atmospheric tension, compelling performances, and thought-provoking exploration of human and alien interaction. The film combines elements of psychological thriller, body horror, and science fiction, offering a chilling and gripping narrative about survival, control, and the unknown.