Attraction
Directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk5.636%51%6.7
After a spaceship crash-lands in the center of Moscow, a young woman finds herself torn between loyalty to her seemingly normal life and the allure of a new state of being promised by one of the aliens.
Attraction Ratings & Reviews
- Michael HeimgartnerMay 30, 2025Attraction was a pleasant surprise—a Russian sci-fi blockbuster that delivers impressive visual effects, strong production design, and a refreshing take on a well-worn alien invasion premise. Clearly inspired by classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still, the film blends spectacle and sentiment in a way that’s both familiar and unexpectedly engaging. As someone not very familiar with Russian cinema, I went in with zero expectations. What I found was a highly polished production that could easily stand alongside many Hollywood efforts in terms of technical quality. The CGI is top-notch, the cinematography is dynamic, and the camera work gives the whole film a sleek, contemporary edge. The score and soundtrack also deserve praise. Modern and well-curated, the music enhances the emotional beats and keeps the pacing tight, particularly during the action-heavy sequences. The production design—especially during scenes of urban destruction and alien technology—is ambitious and convincing. Acting-wise, the cast does a solid job overall. The characters feel grounded, and the film benefits from featuring relatively unknown (at least internationally) actors, giving it a fresh, unfiltered tone. Irina Starshenbaum plays the female lead with passion, though her character can come across as unnecessarily irritating at times, which does affect the emotional investment in her arc. Still, the performances are largely committed and effective. Story-wise, the film plays it safe. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, and some plot points feel predictable or overly sentimental. That said, the core message—about fear, understanding, and human nature—is simple but important, and it’s delivered earnestly. Attraction is a visually stunning, confidently directed Russian sci-fi film that proves international blockbusters can stand their ground. While some narrative elements fall flat, the film wins with scale, sincerity, and spectacle. If you’re curious about genre cinema beyond Hollywood, this is a great starting point. I’m genuinely interested to see how the sequel builds on this foundation.
Attraction Trivia
Attraction was released on January 26, 2017.
Attraction was directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk.
Attraction has a runtime of 2h 12m.
Attraction was produced by Darya Skugar, Antonina Li, Mikhail Vrubel, Dmitry Rudovsky, Alexander Andryuschenko, Anton Zlatopolskiy, Fyodor Bondarchuk.
After a spaceship crash-lands in the center of Moscow, a young woman finds herself torn between loyalty to her seemingly normal life and the allure of a new state of being promised by one of the aliens.
The key characters in Attraction are Yulya Lebedeva (Irina Starshenbaum), Artyom (Tom) (Alexander Petrov), Haakon / Khariton (Rinal Mukhametov).
Attraction is rated Not Rated.
Attraction is a Drama, Science Fiction, Romance film.
Attraction has an audience rating of 5.1 out of 10.
Attraction had a budget of $5M.
Attraction has made $19.5M at the box office.