A mind afire

Invisible impressions

Radioactive

How often do you get a movie about the woman who discovered radium (and coined the term radioactive)?

The premise of Radioactive is compelling: an examination of the triumphs, controversies, and tragedies of Madame Marie Curie’s life. Sadly, what could have been a fascinating deep dive into one of the most complex figures of the early twentieth century quickly devolves into a mishmash of underdeveloped plotlines with half-lives shorter than most of our haikus.

The good:

The subject matter is great and the acting competent. Rosamund Pike is decent as Marie, if almost unrecognizable from her Pride & Prejudice (sans zombies) days. Sam Riley (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) and Anya Taylor-Joy are even better, as Pierre Curie and Marie and Pierre’s (also) scientist daughter, Irène.

The bad:

The movie is all over the place. Plotlines are dangled and pulled back a minute later. Major figures are introduced but never developed. And something feels off in the pacing throughout the film, with minor events painfully drawn out and others smothered as soon as introduced.

Radioactive isn’t a terrible movie, but it overpromises and underdelivers, leaving the viewer feeling like they are trying to understand a person’s heart by looking at her x-ray.

But give us a second opinion. Check out Radioactive HERE and let us know what you think.

Two out of Five Meltdowns.

☢☢

The movie wasn’t great, but Marie Curie was a phenom. You can learn a bit about her from the Nobel organization, who awarded her their prize in 1903 (Physics) and 1911 (Chemistry). A quick bio from them is HERE.

Did you like Radioactive? Or maybe just Madame Curie? These may be interesting.