'Stowaway' brings an old-fashioned problem to the latest mission to Mars

"Stowaway" wasn't shot during the Covid pandemic, but with a cast of four in a confined, near-claustrophobic setting, this character study easily could have been. More an examination of human nature than a thriller, the space-faring movie deals with weighty issues but doesn't possess much pizzazz or gravity, making Netflix the logical home for its launch.

Thanks to NASA's latest triumph there's additional excitement surrounding the romance of space travel in general and Mars in particular, but with its languid pacing, "Stowaway" doesn't rise to the occasion. The plot itself is as simple as the age-old question of people on a boat or deserted island, without enough resources to sustain them all. Faced with that grim option, what would you do?