Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
Director: Alex Garland
Writer: Seth Overton
Based on the video game series
Cast: James McAvoy, David Oyelowo, Stanley Tucci, Alice Eve, Vincent Cassel, Woody Harrelson, Michael Sheen, Gwendoline Christie
Plot: A man in an astronaut suit exits a spacecraft. A small American flag sign is embedded on his right shoulder. He takes his first steps on a surface covered in dark grey talcum powder-like dust, with a variety of scattered pebbles, rocks and boulders. As he walks, his first words are: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". The text [MOON LANDING - 180 YEAR ANNIVERSARY DIGITAL REMASTER] appears on screen as the camera zooms out revealing a conference screen.
Leading NASA scientist Jack Harper (James McAvoy) is nervously giving a presentation on the latest discoveries in Mass Effect physics, a discovery he deems as revolutionary as the moon landing and the next cornerstone in human space travel advancement. David Anderson (David Oyelowo) sits in the audience, trying his best not to roll his eyes at all the hyperbole. He notices General Williams (Michael Sheen) enter the conference room and makes a sign to him. Williams rushes to the seat next to Anderson and apologizes for being late. He tells him he had to oversee the Charon mission.
Meanwhile, a group of astronauts led by Jon Grissom (Vincent Cassel) are on a mission near Pluto. Following information from translated data cache on Mars, humans had discovered that Charon, Pluto's moon, is actually a massive piece of dormant alien technology, encased in ice. After they defrost the artifact, it becomes clear it is a mass relay.
As the mass relay activates itself, the title screen appears: "Mass Effect: First Contact"
2149 CE - NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C
Jack Harper exits the conference room with his palms sweaty and trembling. He lets out a sigh of relief now that everything is over. Public speaking has never been his strong suit. He is greeted by a woman who introduces herself as Eva Core (Alice Eve), an astronaut in training. Eva tells him she has some follow-up questions regarding mass effect technology and space travel, more specifically whether he believes it could possibly lead to contact with alien life-forms. Harper looks at her for a second then directs his gaze towards the ground, trying to formulate a few thoughts, but stuttering in the process. Anderson chimes in, telling her that contact with alien life has already happened, in the form of microorganisms and bacteria in space. If she is referring to intelligent alien lifeform, he doubts it exists and if it does, he certainly wouldn’t want to establish contact with it.
Harper rushes to the bathroom, while Anderson tells him he’s expecting him in the control room afterwards. He locks the bathroom door and buries his head in his palms. He acted like a bumbling fool. He could have told her that he, himself, is fascinated by this subject, and the things we could learn from a more technologically advanced alien civilization. He could have mentioned this really old movie he is a fan of called “2001: A Space Odyssey”, which is not holovision-compatible, but he has an old device it can be played on, if she’s interested in seeing it. He could have contradicted Anderson, telling him that his cautiousness is natural, but progress always involves certain risks. Instead, he said nothing.
He washes his face with cold water then takes some pills and heads over to the control room. In the control room, he sees Jon Grissom on a giant screen talking to Anderson about the mass relay they had discovered. They debate whether they should regroup at the nearest space station and attempt a manned mission through the relay. Anderson is against it and tells them they should return to Earth. Harper agrees and tells them the relay needs to be studied more before such a mission can be deemed safe. He seems a bit more collected after taking his medication.
In the following months, Harper and his team of scientists study the relay’s energy fields and come to the conclusion that they could design a spacecraft capable of passing through. He tells Anderson, who is still cautious about sending his team on this mission. Now that after seeing the relay, Anderson is more open to the idea other intelligent lifeforms existing, they debate whether extraterrestrial life could be aggressive or not. Jack Harper argues that an incredibly advanced civilization should be above petty human warmongering. David seems amused by his naiveté.
They finally agree on a plan to send a time capsule probe, similar to the Voyager Golden Records, which contains sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. As they debate on what they should include, Harper and Anderson form a friendship over their interest in old books and movies. Jack opens up about how he feels like he messed up an opportunity with Eva a few months back. He recounts the entire experience.
A few days later, Anderson opens up about his own experience with anxiety and how his father set some very high standards for him that he always felt were out of reach. He concludes that most of the bad feelings dissipated when he learned to stop being so hard on himself. David sees Eva Core enter the room. He puts his hand on Jack’s shoulder, as if trying to pass on some confidence to him, then leaves them together. Harper apologizes to Eva for their previous encounter. She tells him he has nothing to apologize for and that she was happy when Anderson told her he would like to resume their previous conversation. After they talk for a while, he musters up the courage to ask her out for coffee. He then awkwardly backtracks in that he doesn’t usually drink coffee since it messes up his stomach, but maybe he could have some other beverage. She laughs and then agrees.
A few months pass, and Harper, Anderson, Eva Core, General Williams and Jon Grissom are gathered in the control room to watch the sending of the probe through the relay. Jack takes Eva’s hand as the moment gets closer. She rests her head on his shoulder. Everyone cheers once the probe goes through.
2150 CE – European Space Agency, Paris
Jack Harper is giving another presentation, this time in stark contrast with his first attempt, projecting confidence and charisma through his posture, oratory skills and overall demeanor. Everyone claps as he announces that preparations of the first manned mission through the relay are underway and the expedition should begin the following year. He exits the conference room as everyone applauds and cheers. Eva hugs him, telling him she’s proud of him. She asks him if he had any anxiety throughout. He answers that he did, but somehow, it didn’t matter.
As preparations for the manned mission are underway, Eva comes to Jack with unexpected news. She applied to be part of the crew and got accepted by Grissom. This leaves Jack worried and somehow puts Anderson’s concerns into perspective for him for the first time. He tells her she shouldn’t go since it is a dangerous mission and she’s a rookie. This upsets her, they argue for a while with her telling Harper how hypocritical of him it is to label this mission dangerous now. He, himself, is upset that she applied behind his back.
Harper talks to Anderson, who tells him Eva has her own dreams and aspirations and that he should support her. He vouches for her and tells him she will certainly be a more than capable crew member.
Harper brings Eva flowers and apologizes for his outburst. She forgives him and also apologizes for not telling him sooner. They spend their last evening together before the mission finally watching “2001: A Space Odyssey”. After the movie is over, Jack enthusiastically asks her what she thought. She yawns and tells him the movie seemed more exciting when he was recounting it. They both laugh and cuddle together.
The next day, the crew, consisting of Jon Grissom, Eva Core, Harkin (Woody Harrelson) and Jill Dah (Gwendoline Christie) embark on the spacecraft. The event is broadcast all over the world. Grissom is shocked to see little children in the crowd wearing T-shirts with his face. Harkin tells him he’s an international hero. They’re already making a biopic on him. Grissom jokes that he hopes he lives long enough to see it.
Williams, Anderson and Harper are in the control room watching history in the making - the first team of human explorers passing through a mass relay. In the spacecraft, Grissom gives orders to every crew member as they prepare to enter the relay. As they pass through, they are instantly transported to another relay in Arcturus, 36 light-years away. The explorers discover that the mass relays are part of a vast network, making travel across the galaxy possible.
2151 CE – Paladen, Turian Homeplanet
A turian commander, Edan Had’dah (Stanley Tucci), leads a group of turian soldiers through the Paladen forests. They speak in their native tongue (subtitled in English). One of the turians says that an unidentified spacecraft was spotted landing nearby.
They see an unidentified species in the distance. It is Grissom and his team. Edan is unsure what to make of them. He sees Eva scanning the flora with a device to send the data back home. He decides to approach them, ordering his team to be ready in case of aggression. He shouts at the group.
Harkin almost shoots his gun, when Grissom stops him. Grissom puts his gun down and signals to Edan that they come in peace. To Edan and his team, it all seems like gibberish. Another turian vehicle is seen approaching from the distance. Harkin tells Grissom that they should fight them now before their backup arrives. Grissom tells him to stand down.
A gun is fired as the screen cuts to black. Multiple gunshots are heard signaling that a fight has ensued between the two groups.
2151 CE – NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C
Jack Harper sits in shock staring at the wall in front of him. News of the mission have reached Earth once the spacecraft passed back through the relay. Jon Grissom was the only one who made it out alive. Eva, Harkin and Jill Dah died in the gunfight. The second turian vehicle eventually brought a translation device. Human languages were added to the device from the deciphered time capsule probe the turians had received. Grissom negotiated with the turians and managed to retreat, while also bringing back the bodies of his team members. Tears of pain and anger run down Harper’s face as the caskets are transported out of the spacecraft.
In the following years, The Systems Alliance charter is signed by the eighteen largest nations on Earth. The Alliance soon becomes the military and exploratory spearhead of humanity. Furthermore, the animosity between humans and turians reaches peak level.
The Turian War begins. We see General Williams hug his granddaughter Ashley, before embarking on a mission to protect the human colony Shanxi. Anderson joins the Alliance and soon after becomes Captain of the SSV Normandy. Edan Had’dah spends his time studying the human time capsule probe and becomes overwhelmed with guilt over causing the war. He decides to take his own life.
Finally, we see Jack Harper walk down a hallway. He walks past a Cerberus logo and enters his office. On his holo-vision computer, he reads a think-piece on the climate of xenophobia amongst the Alliance public and the emergence of extreme pro-human groups like Terra Firma and Cerberus. The author cites Harper as their most ardent figurehead, dubbing him an “illusive man”. He smiles as he reads that part, thinking it is a fitting nickname.
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