Ash is a 2025 American science fiction horror film directed by Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison) and written by Jonni Remmler. The film stars Eiza González and Aaron Paul, with supporting performances from Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah Koale, and Flying Lotus himself. Blending psychological horror with cosmic dread, Ash explores themes of identity, memory, and trust in a visually arresting, genre-bending narrative.
The film premiered at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival on March 11, 2025, and was released theatrically in the United States on March 21, 2025. It received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its atmosphere, visual style, and performances, though some noted its derivative elements and narrative shortcomings.
Plot
Set on a desolate planet, Ash follows astronaut Riya (Eiza González), who awakens from a coma to find her crew brutally murdered and her memory fragmented. As she navigates the eerie, blood-soaked corridors of her space station, Riya encounters Brion (Aaron Paul), a fellow crew member who claims to have received her distress signal. Together, they attempt to unravel the mystery behind the massacre.
Riya’s investigation is complicated by haunting visions and the station’s AI repeatedly warning of an “unusual life force.” Flashbacks reveal tensions among the crew and suggest that Riya may have played a role in the killings. As trust erodes and reality blurs, Riya must confront the possibility that the true threat may lie within herself.
Cast
- Eiza González as Riya
- Aaron Paul as Brion
- Iko Uwais as Adhi
- Kate Elliott as Clarke
- Beulah Koale as Kevin
- Flying Lotus as Davis
Production
Development
In August 2022, Ash was announced with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tessa Thompson originally attached to star. By March 2023, Eiza González and Aaron Paul replaced them in the lead roles. Flying Lotus, known for his experimental debut Kuso (2017), returned to filmmaking with Ash, aiming to merge avant-garde visuals with a more accessible horror-thriller format.
Filming
Principal photography took place in New Zealand, utilizing an abandoned industrial building as the primary set. Flying Lotus chose to shoot the film with an Arri Alexa 35 digital camera and incorporated miniature models built by Adam Makarenko. The production took a hybrid approach to practical and digital effects, with the director self-educating on CGI through YouTube tutorials.
Influences
The director cited video games such as Silent Hill, Dead Space, and Resident Evil as primary inspirations. Flying Lotus aimed to emulate the immersive dread of survival horror gaming, combined with narrative ambiguity reminiscent of David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick. The film’s psychological structure draws comparisons to Event Horizon and Possession.
Music
The score for Ash was composed by Flying Lotus and features 27 tracks. The soundtrack includes collaborations with artists such as Teebs, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and Niki Randa. Released on March 19, 2025, through Milan Records, the score blends synth-heavy ambience, dissonant strings, and industrial percussion. Critics have compared it to the soundscapes of John Carpenter and Vangelis.
Release
Ash premiered at SXSW on March 11, 2025, and was released in select U.S. theaters on March 21, 2025. Amazon Prime Video acquired international streaming rights in February 2024 for a reported $10 million. Following a limited theatrical run, the film became available for streaming on Shudder in April 2025.
Reception
Box Office
Ash debuted with modest box office returns, earning $689,144 from 1,136 screens in its opening weekend. The film’s experimental nature and limited marketing were cited as contributing factors. As of April 2025, it has grossed approximately $1.1 million domestically.
Critical Response
Critical reception for Ash was generally favorable. The film holds a score of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes based on over 80 reviews.
- IndieWire’s Katie Rife gave it a B-, calling it a “freaky, immersive horror film that rewards patience with surreal, nightmarish payoffs.”
- RogerEbert.com’s Zachary Lee awarded it 3 out of 4 stars, describing it as “a B-movie operating at the highest levels of craftsmanship, intrigue, and performance.”
- DiscussingFilm lauded the visuals and atmospheric sound design, highlighting González’s performance as “elegantly raw and central to the film’s mystique.”
- Polygon praised the unique tone and visual identity, saying “Ash blends sci-fi with horror in ways both tactile and terrifying.”
- Flickering Myth, however, criticized the pacing and dialogue, stating that “the film feels sluggish in places and burdened by its own mystery.”
Some critics also noted the film’s familiarity with genre tropes, particularly its similarities to Event Horizon and Alien, though many felt it paid homage rather than imitated.
Themes and Analysis
Ash explores the fragility of identity and the unreliability of memory in high-stress isolation. Riya’s perspective constantly shifts, making her both a protagonist and a potential antagonist. The presence of an unidentified alien force serves as both a literal threat and a metaphor for suppressed trauma or psychological fragmentation.
The film also engages with themes of surveillance, artificial intelligence, and the dehumanizing effects of space exploration. The station’s AI, while non-hostile, repeatedly questions human judgment and reveals inconsistencies in Riya’s narrative, adding layers of paranoia.
Visually, the film plays with color saturation, darkness, and non-linear space to disorient the viewer. The production design intentionally includes symmetrical sets and claustrophobic corridors, reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Stalker.
Accolades
Though not a mainstream box office success, Ash was praised in genre-specific circles and is expected to receive nominations at upcoming festivals including Fantastic Fest and the Sitges Film Festival. Critics have cited it as one of the more original science fiction horror films of the decade.
Future and Legacy
Flying Lotus has hinted at a possible return to the world of Ash in future projects, possibly in the form of a limited series or a graphic novel. The film’s haunting visuals, enigmatic storytelling, and hybrid aesthetic have earned it a cult following online.
See Also
- Kuso (2017) – Flying Lotus’s directorial debut
- Event Horizon (1997) – Cosmic horror film often compared to Ash
- Dead Space – Survival horror game cited as a direct influence
- Possession (1981) – Psychological horror with themes of identity
References
- Ash (2025 film) – Wikipedia
- Flying Lotus’s Ash Interview – Polygon
- RogerEbert.com Review of Ash
- Pitchfork Review – Ash Soundtrack
- SXSW 2025 Film Guide