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The thriller is being compared to The Sixth Sense(Image: Signature Entertainment/Paramount Plus)

An epic science fiction thriller has arrived on streaming platforms, and enthusiasts are already drawing comparisons between the film and classics such as E. T. and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense.

The “suspenseful” film brimming with nail-biting action and “insane” twists dropped on Paramount Plus today, February 15.

The film, helmed by Jess Varley, features Kate Mara, Laurence Fishburne and Gabriel Luna.

“This movie kept me on the edge of my seat- it’s thrilling and tense but also heartwarming at the same time” one fan posted on Rotten Tomatoes.

Another concurred: “I found the suspense of the story gripping from start to finish. It truly kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The twist at the end was both surprising and a fresh take on the sci-fi genre.”

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Laurence Fishburne stars in the thriller(Image: Signature Entertainment/Paramount Plus)

The Astronaut was released last year in 2025 and, despite securing just a 42% critics score and 59% audience score, has been passionately championed by supporters on the review aggregator site, reports the Express.

Numerous viewers lauded the film for its ‘thrilling’ and ‘captivating’ narrative, with one posting: “Great storyline that kept me engaged. Awesome cinematography. Very well written and directed!”

“Genuinely one of the most captivating movies I’ve seen in years,” a second concurred, whilst a third posted: “Am I missing something? This was hands down my favorite movie of the year. Thrilling and unexpectedly heartfelt.”

The synopsis states: “After returning from her first space mission, astronaut Sam Walker is placed under NASA’s care at a high security house for rehabilitation and medical testing.

“However, when disturbing occurrences begin happening around the property, she fears that something extraterrestrial has followed her back to Earth.”

Viewers claim they were “hooked almost immediately” by the film, with many specifically lauding the unexpected plot twists. One fan shared: “I was impressed and surprised by the twist and turns of the movie, especially the ending.”

“Sixth Sense level twist that I did not see coming at all,” another viewer confessed, whilst someone else penned: “One of the most original twists of the past decade with a slightly short run time but packed with crazy visuals and strong performances.”

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Kate Mara leads the twisty sci-fi film(Image: Signature Entertainment/Paramount Plus)

Some viewers also remarked that the film had left them “sobbing”, with one admitting: “I was not prepared to cry my eyes out at the end! ! ! This made me feel all the feels.”

Another enthused: “I LOVED THIS MOVIE! ! ! ! ! ! I don’t like horror movies but this wasn’t really one in a lot of ways. It was scary at times, but the family drama pulled on my heart strings. I actually cried at the end!”

However, not everyone was enamoured, with one critic stating: “It had potential, but ultimately ended up really flat and very rushed towards a conclusion. A lil more effort would have actually made it watchable.”

“After what was a promising start, unfortunately this film descends into utter nonsense, climaxing into comedy,” one viewer wrote, whilst another remarked: “This movie went from being really boring in the first two acts to really stupid in the last act. I was expecting it to be better.”

However, the feedback from fans was predominantly positive, with some even likening The Astronaut to iconic sci-fi films such as E. T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

“E.T. vibes for sure,” one simply put it, whilst another observed: “Suspenseful from beginning to end! Reminiscent of the classic SciFi series, Close Encounters, but with a unique twist at the end that I did not expect! Fantastic cinematography and a soundtrack that magnifies the suspense.”

Another person added: “I liked this a lot more than I expected to! It reminded me of old movies like Signs and ET and thankfully wasn’t 2.5 hrs long. Felt like maybe it got trimmed down a touch too much but it was short enough that it kept me engaged the whole time. The twist was insane and in a world of spoilers I’m glad I didn’t know what was coming.”

The Astronaut is available to stream now on Paramount Plus.