‘Ash’ SXSW Review – Flying Lotus Takes on Survival Horror in Gnarly Sci-Fi Movie

Flying Lotus leaves behind the abstract surrealism of feature debut Kuso in favor of a more conventional narrative in sophomore effort Ash, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t bear his stamp of gnarly horror. What Ash lacks in story originality, it makes up for in vibrant imagery, visual worldbuilding, and visceral horror in this gnarly sci-fi freakout movie that could double as a visual survival horror concept album thanks to Flying Lotus’ immersive earworm score. 

The setup feels familiar: sole survivor Riya Ortiz (Eiza González) awakens on a space station located on some foreign, distant planet battered, bruised, and with no memories. Riya knows something horrible happened; she’s surrounded by the gruesomely dispatched bodies of her crewmates. She’s determined to regain her memories and find out what happened, much to the chagrin of new arrival Brion (Aaron Paul), who only wants to solve the grim murder mystery after they’ve left the planet as the ship’s hull was so damaged by the battle that oxygen is rapidly depleting. But Riya’s amnesia breeds mistrust and paranoia as her memories ever-so-slowly return, revealing the terrifying chain of events that were set in motion and the dangerous threat that’s still lying in wait.

Working from a script by Jonni Remmler, Flying Lotus operates on mood and feeling, cryptically relaying the plot beats via flashbacks. The fractured storytelling is a byproduct of Riya’s fractured memory, but in turn, winds up making it tougher to suss out the film’s narrative for those only loosely paying attention. It’s a good thing that Ash is rather simple in plot, made complex by the director’s approach and emphasis on atmospheric imagery. Through brief flashbacks, we meet crewmates Adhi (Iko Uwais), Riya’s lover Kevin (Beulah Koale), Davis (Flying Lotus), and Clarke (Kate Elliott), the only one missing from the aftermath. Davis’ early demise works to establish just how nasty the horror will get, both in intensity and bloodletting. It also highlights just how little we get to see or know anyone outside of Riya and, to a lesser extent, Brion. To be fair, this is lean and efficient experiential horror, not a character study. 

While Riya’s quest to uncover the truth about the grim calamity and her role in it comes with a few revelations, building to a suitably energetic finale that swings for the fences, very little of it will likely come as a surprise to seasoned sci-fi horror audiences or fans of survival horror video games- especially the latter. Though the feature’s budget constraints sometimes show its seams, at least in terms of the VFX, Flying Lotus understands the importance of practical effects where it counts: the gory kills. That only bolsters the film’s standout imagery and freakout climax.

Ash doesn’t reinvent the subgenre, but it’s not trying to. Flying Lotus instead tells this familiar story in a way that only he could, delivering the equivalent of an ultra-violent space survival horror video game in cinematic form. It’s an immersive, experiential vibe movie that washes over you with its droning score that ramps up in intensity along with the chaos. González makes for a formidable lead, forging deeper into the madness with the athletic stamina, grit, and fortitude that it requires. Ash is the equivalent of getting hypnotized and pulled into an almost Lovecraftian cosmic abyss, but only if you’re willing to ride its polarizing wavelength.

Ash made its world premiere at SXSW and releases in theaters on March 21, 2025.

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