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Beware there are spoilers ahead for Oxygen (2021).
Human cloning and human colonization on other planets is not a new concept in film, but Oxygen (2021) explores it in a primarily isolated setting and with one main protagonist. Originally in French, but also dubbed in English, Oxygen is a sci-fi movie based on the survival of a cloned human named Liz (played by Mélanie Laurent).
The film showcases a unique perspective on the future of humankind and whether humanity is able to accept that there will be an end to their species. In this case, humanity is not, and they are desperately using technology and cloning in an attempt to keep it alive.
Through the lens of one human clone fighting to survive, Oxygen challenges the conventional understanding of what it means to be human and how memories shape identity; it also expands on intriguing topics concerning human cloning and colonization on an entirely new planet.
Oxygen (2021)
Oxygen (2021) begins with Omicron 276, Liz, not knowing she was a clone and even in space until she had to fight for her life, mentally and physically, against all odds of survival. The clones are supposed to stay in hypersleep in their own singular cryptogenic pods until they arrive at the new planet in hopes they will have a shot at life.
Human civilization back on Earth is predicted to perish in two generations and the clones are basically in a science experiment because of this. Unfortunately, Liz has a more traumatizing experience as she wakes up from her pod malfunctioning, causing the oxygen level to deplete. Later on, she finds out that others also got unlucky and perished in (and out of) these pods in the middle of space. However, fortunately, Liz is not completely alone, there is a supercomputer called MILO.
It seems like it is artificial intelligence, but it only answers and does things based on what it is preprogrammed to do. With this obstacle, Liz then has to find clever ways to go around it to get the information she needs. When she manages to get in contact with authorities through MILO, they shockingly do not help. But, hope is not lost and Liz ends up in contact with an old woman that is willing to assist after some time.
The woman reveals that Liz does have a husband, but he died of the disease. Additionally, she advises Liz that in order to go back into hypersleep, she has to revert some of the power from the Omicron before the oxygen level goes under two percent.
How Memories Connect To Liz’s Identity
Oxygen director Alexandre Aja stated:
“The film is all about that mental labyrinth of exploring who she is and trying to trigger a memory to remember who she is.”
(( Ferme, Antonio. ““Oxygen” Director Alexandre Aja Discusses His Attraction to Single-Location Films.” Variety.com, 13 May 2021. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023. ))
While the film emphasizes the importance of memories especially when Liz remembers glimpses of what she thought were her own experiences, it also shows that her curiosity about her true identity aids her in getting out of a deadly dilemma.
Liz discovers she is a clone when she realizes the old woman she called is the original Dr. Elizabeth Hansenand and her husband in one of the pods does not have a head scar. Also, Omicron is not what the pod is called, but rather, what Liz, the clone is called. Despite being shocked and overwhelmed by the discovery, she does everything she can to survive because her memories shape who she is and what she cares about, like her husband, even if he is a clone, too.
In a sense, her memories program her to have emotional attachments because she is in a life-threatening situation but still thinks about her husband and what they had even though she did not experience everything herself. Because of her meaningful memories with her husband, it can be said that she is more motivated to keep on pushing and reunite with him. Unlike MILO, Liz’s brain is not comparable to that of a computer.
If Liz had not gained her memories back, then she would just be Omicron 276, as her creators had labeled her. Instead, she has a name and an identity, whether it is original or not. Since she makes it to the new planet, she can create new memories and is not just limited to the knowledge she was born with. Though the majority of the film consists of Liz in a cramped setting, her emotions and actions fill up the scenes and make viewers invested in her journey as she starts to put together the pieces. The memories confuse her at the start but ultimately pushed her to keep on moving.
The Science Fiction Of Human Cloning
Oxygen has touched on an intriguing area of sci-fi human cloning because the clones in the movie are at a set age and do not start off as fetuses. But, the biggest issue, if this were to happen in real life, is the fact that these clones do not know they are clones, and who decides on the morality of this space mission? Liz sees for herself that not everyone is going to make it to the planet. Either from their pods being damaged by an outside force or their pod running out of oxygen, who knows what pain they have to go through.
They are clones but that does not mean they are any less human than those who made them. Liz does not seem to have any physical and mental advantages otherwise it would have stood out significantly and she would not show such a wide range of emotions. Each clone is labeled as a number and is forced to go on this journey that seems exciting. However, the trip relies on many factors that can not be controlled like how the technology is going to hold in space and obstacles that may steer them off course or damage the pods.
This occurrence can be compared to how seeds fall off a tree, like what Liz’s husband, who was also a scientist, had studied. Not every seed will survive or sprout into a tree; it is like a game of chance. It is also somewhat similar to clone troopers in the Star Wars franchise, each of the clones has their own character, but they were disposable because they were constantly lab-grown. The clone troopers have to follow commands and there is always someone that is of a higher rank than them.
Basically, they do what they are created to do. A key difference is that the clone troopers are born to protect and serve while Omicrons are born for a survival mission. Still, it is amoral because they all do not have a real choice when it comes to their creators’ goals. In Oxygen, it can be said that the original Liz, the brains behind the whole mission, cared for her because she helped her when no one could.
On the other hand, maybe she had only helped because she is talking to herself. Nonetheless, from a certain perspective, Liz is like a lab rat having to go through unprecedented obstacles to reach a specified goal, but in reality, she discovers she is one and accepts her destiny. Though this is a harrowing case, Liz is at an advantage compared to the other clones because she has high awareness. Unlike them, she knows about the whole maze and who put them there. The other clones might be oblivious and have a false sense of security because they slept peacefully before arriving on the planet.
Liz’s Survival & Human Colonization
Oxygen does not go in-depth into why or how the disease is wiping humans out of Earth. Instead, it focuses on Liz’s survival for herself and the human race. All the viewers know is that it is some kind of virus that has a symptom of coughing up blood and bruise-like skin. Where are these clones going? Not much is revealed about the mysterious planet except that it is called “Wolf 10-61c” and its landscape is shown briefly at the end.
It seems like both scientists and authorities like the army are both highly involved in this clone space mission. Whether the general public knows about it is unclear, but it can be assumed they do not otherwise everyone would panic about their upcoming doomsday. The people probably have been told to take precautions similar to what happened during the coronavirus pandemic. Not to mention, this movie was released closely after that peak anxiety-induced time.
From what is shown in the movie, only the human species are being cloned and sent into space. But what about the animals or the plants? Why is the human race the only one that is allowed to survive? How do they know they can eat well on the new planet? There are a lot of unanswered questions, but it is clear that the humans in the movie are only thinking about themselves when it comes to resettling on another planet.
The concept of human colonization on another planet is not a new idea, both in real life and in film. In order for people to survive, there needs to be oxygen, water, food, and shelter. The late Stephen Hawking theorized that as time goes on the probability of a major disaster occurring on Earth goes up and that humans would have a chance of surviving if people could find another planet to colonize. (( Zorthian, Julia. “Stephen Hawking: We Have 100 Years to Colonize a New Planet.” Time.com, 4 May 2017. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023. )) Though scientists are looking for exoplanets that can support life, Earth remains the only known one in the galaxy.
Right now, many people look to Mars as a possible new home for the human race even though the planet is mostly carbon dioxide and freezing. (( De Souza, Paulo. “Climate Explained: Why Mars Is Cold despite an Atmosphere of Mostly Carbon Dioxide.” Phys.org, 6 Nov. 2019. Accessed 8 Apr. 2023. )) Some even are getting their hopes up with traveling across space and finding Earth 2.0. Maybe this will be all possible in the far future with the right technology like Oxygen showcases.
Though Earth will inevitably come to an end, it does not mean that the human species have to treat it like a wasteland in hopes that it will keep itself stable or that there is another shot at survival elsewhere. Instead of relying on technology like in Oxygen, people can start to be conscious of the planet instead of giving it up during a major crisis.
Sci-Fi Films Of The Same Caliber As Oxygen (2021)
Many films like Oxygen show what civilization would possibly have done if the end is near ranging from hopelessly living underground and moving to a new unexplored planet.
Hidden (2015)
For instance, there is Hidden (2015) where a family has to live in underground bunkers because of an outbreak that causes people to turn into monsters. They struggle to live comfortably due to the tight space and dirty conditions along with the presence of “Breathers” above them.
This film showcases that the human race is the scariest and deadliest species that can exist and makes one question what “living” really means.
Interstellar (2014)
In Interstellar (2014), a group of astronauts is on a mission, traveling through a wormhole near Saturn in hopes to find a new habitable planet before it is too late.
They have three planets to investigate and their lives and everyone else on the line. This film explores space exploring that might look impossible, but it shows human desperation and the sacrifices one is willing to make for others.
The Good And The Bad Elements of Oxygen (2021)
Liz is faced with numerous obstacles and psychological challenges, which Oxygen effectively portrays. In spite of the limited environment of just the space chamber, the different angles and wide range of emotions Liz shows keeps viewers invested in her journey of identity and survival.
Most notably, the plot twist that Liz is a clone is executed well, showing the extremity of human isolation and survival despite her unnatural existence. Though a clone, she knows what it means to be stuck and isolated from society and wants to break free. It is also interesting to see how she reacted to being a clone because she had little time to grieve as the oxygen was dwindling.
However, the ending of the film was abrupt and unsatisfying because it just showed Liz and her husband on the new planet for a bit and leaves a lot of unanswered questions. There could be a better emphasis on the clones and how they are situated there because most of them should have just woken up before arriving, unlike Liz. What are their reactions compared to hers? Did she tell her husband or anyone else that they are clones? Viewers are invested in Liz’s up-and-down journey, only to get a brief moment of her success.
Based on how far the clones have to travel and how long they have to remain in hypersleep, the planet is further than one can ever imagine and it is the only one that the scientists have found that can support human life. It shows that the galaxy is vast but small at the same time, for scientists on Earth found only one other planet that can support human life. It also shows that people back on Earth might have given up on trying to defeat the virus because they are probably spending billions of dollars on this mission.
Viewers can only speculate what happens after the clones arrive on Wolf 10-61c and whatever happens to civilization back on Earth. Maybe there’s no real ending because life will continue with or without the human race. Compared to space, humans are mere atoms.
Does Oxygen Showcase The Future Of Humankind?
Overall, Oxygen provides a thrill and a glimpse into the future of humankind through the lens of a clone, emphasizing the importance of her memories. The film’s concepts of human cloning and human colonization on a completely new planet make it unique. Although Liz is a clone, it does not make her any less human than those back on Earth.
Oxygen disappoints viewers at the end and leaves a lot of unanswered questions, but maybe it is up for interpretation because who knows what the future will hold? Nonetheless, it is rewarding to see Liz achieving the near impossible and that she gets another chance at life with her husband.
As humankind continues to explore the concepts of cloning and colonizing new planets through films and real-life science, Oxygen manages to offer a thought-provoking glimpse into the future and whether or not humans are ready to accept their fates.