Lost in Starlight Review: BGs Shinier Than Character Animation
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘Lost in Starlight’ might be set in 2026, but it re-imagines a much more futuristic planet earth, with air-taxis zooming in the sky, people sleeping in their self-driven cars, and hyper-realistic simulations allowing callers to jump out of video calls. Created by Han Ji-won and Kang Hyun, this is Netflix’s first original Korean animation film.
The plot of ‘Lost in Starlight’ follows Nan-young (voiced by Kim Tae-ri of The Handmaiden fame), an ambitious astronaut cooling her heels in her hometown of Seoul while serving as a backup for NASA’s mission to Mars. As Nan-young trains around the clock to secure a spot on the crew, she meets the charismatic Jay (voiced by Hong Kyung from Netflix’s Weak Hero Class 1), a musician working in a repair shop. Jay offers to fix Nan-young’s broken record player, and the two unexpectedly fall in love over music. But what happens to them if Nan-young makes it onto the Mars mission?
For animation fans, ‘Lost in Starlight‘ might feel like a mash-up of Kid Cudi’s neon-lit romance Entergalactic and Richard Linklater’s space odyssey Apollo 10½. It combines elements of both genres, offering a romantic sci-fi tale where two very different people pursue their dreams while exploring a tender, newfound connection. Nan-young and Jay share a sweet romantic progression, free from any typical ‘situationship’ woes. However, some of the coincidences that move their story forward are definitely over-the-top, K-drama level. For instance, the very first song Nan-young plays just happens to be one composed by Jay, a fact she isn’t even aware of. What are the chances? Pure K-drama magic.
When it comes to animation quality, the character designs and motion in ‘Lost in Starlight‘ are often overshadowed by its stunning BGs (backgrounds). Many animated shows and anime tend to skimp on background details; a good example is Netflix’s Blood of Zeus, it features great character designs but no grandness in its BGs. In this case, it’s the opposite. The BGs are beautifully rendered, including lots of details in the city landscape, making Seoul look like a dreamy modern city, while the character models are underwhelming and the animation lacks fluidity. Nan-young’s design is quite charming, but Jay’s appearance feels unnatural, like a K-pop star with excessive plastic surgery.
But ‘Lost in Starlight‘ isn’t just about an astronaut falling in love with a musician; it also explores Nan-young’s complex connection with her deceased mother, an astronaut who died during a Mars mission. Surprisingly, we learn nothing about Jay’s personal or family life, except that he used to be in a band and quit due to creative differences. Since music is a key ingredient, there are some really nice musical sequences and songs peppered through the runtime, including two concerts.
For a film that’s just about 90 minutes long, ‘Lost in Starlight’ is colorful, cute, and charming. But its final scenes? Maddening. The creators bizarrely decide to cut between Nan-young risking her life on Mars and Jay performing in his first concert in years, and the tonal whiplash is real. Sure, in theory, it could’ve worked: girlfriend faces death in space, boyfriend battles stage fright. Deep stuff, right? Except… NO! If the main character is literally on the verge of dying on a desolate planet, I don’t care if her Korean oppa hits his high notes or cries into a mic. Read the room, filmmakers!
Overall, it’s an entertaining animated film, delivering a heartwarming final minute, and could’ve benefited from better character designs.
Rating: 7.5 on 10. Watch ‘Lost in Starlight’ on Netflix
Read Next: The Rose of Versailles Anime Movie Review
Also Read: Love, Death & Robots Volume 4 Review (Short Audio Version Below)
