High Life is a 2018 science fiction drama film directed by Claire Denis and starring Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, and Mia Goth. Set in a distant, dystopian future, the film follows a group of criminals who are sent on a one-way mission to a black hole as part of a dangerous experiment. With themes of isolation, survival, and the human condition, High Life is a slow-burn, meditative exploration of space, morality, and the fragility of life.

The film opens with Monte (played by Robert Pattinson), a lone survivor aboard a derelict spaceship, drifting through the vast emptiness of space. His only companion is his infant daughter, Willow, who has been born aboard the spacecraft. Their journey is the aftermath of a failed mission, and Monte is the only one left alive after the rest of the crew died under mysterious and tragic circumstances.

The story then shifts back to the beginning of the voyage, where a group of prisoners, sentenced to death or lifelong incarceration, is offered a chance at redemption. They are sent on a mission led by the charismatic yet deeply disturbed Dr. Dibs (played by Juliette Binoche), who is conducting experiments on reproduction in deep space. The mission is to travel toward a black hole, with the prisoners providing data to help understand human biology in extreme isolation.

As the film progresses, the viewer is introduced to the complex dynamics between the crew members, who are subjected to the brutal conditions of the spaceship, including the loneliness, the threat of psychological breakdowns, and the corrupt and unethical scientific experiments being conducted by Dr. Dibs. The story unfolds in a fragmented manner, offering glimpses into the past lives and motives of the crew members, including the deep psychological scars they carry.

One of the primary narrative threads is Dr. Dibs’ obsession with creating life in space. She conducts an experiment using the prisoners’ sperm and eggs to inseminate women aboard the ship, seeking to achieve pregnancy in the vacuum of space. However, her increasingly erratic behavior and the inhumane nature of her experiments create chaos, leading to violence and mistrust among the crew. Monte, who initially seems detached and emotionally distant, slowly becomes more involved in the survival of the child, which offers him some redemption and a chance to find meaning in the otherwise bleak journey.

The central mystery of the film is the question of why Monte is the only surviving member of the mission. As the narrative gradually reveals more about the experiments, the relationships between the crew, and the collapse of order aboard the ship, High Life explores profound existential questions about humanity, the possibility of new beginnings in an unfathomable environment, and the idea of redemption.