For fear of sounding like a broken record whenever I discuss a film related to science, the Catholic Church is not anti-science. I seem to repeat this message often, but my persistence is not without reason. Because the Church still believes in the Bible and takes a different stance than is common on a few issues (like abortion), She tends to be labeled as backward. This flies in the face of how Catholicism understands human beings in so many ways, particularly the gifts with which God has endowed us to experience the world. Where the Faith and certain applications of science can come into conflict is over ethical questions, especially when advancements threaten human life, hence why I mentioned abortion. Otherwise, we recognize that God blessed humans with wonderful minds with which to experience and understand the world around us. Though religion is never brought up in The Aeronauts (2019), that longing to know and see His creation is at the heart of the film, and why I will enjoy telling you about it.

In The Aeronauts (2019), the desire to understand the natural world sends two unlikely partners high above Victorian England, where scientific discovery soon becomes a struggle for survival. In London in 1862, meteorologist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) prepares to ascend in an enormous gas balloon with Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones), an accomplished aeronaut whose flair for spectacle contrasts sharply with his reserved manner. James is impatient when Amelia arrives late and entertains the gathered crowd, even staging a dramatic parachute descent for her small dog, but the two finally take off amid cheers. Their objective is to reach an unprecedented altitude while James records the temperature, air pressure, and other atmospheric conditions that he believes could make weather forecasting possible. As the balloon rises, flashbacks reveal how the expedition came together. James had presented his ideas to the Royal Society, only to be mocked by established scientists, including the experienced balloonist Charles Green. His friend John Trew (Himesh Patel) supports his research, while James’ parents worry about his obsession. His father, Arthur Glaisher (Tom Courtenay), whose memory is deteriorating, nevertheless retains pride in his son’s determination. Amelia, meanwhile, is grieving her husband, Pierre Rennes (Vincent Perez), who died during an earlier ballooning disaster. Her sister Antonia (Phoebe Fox) wants her to leave the dangerous pursuit behind and return to society. At a social gathering, James approaches Amelia and asks her to pilot his experimental ascent. She initially agrees but later withdraws, unable to overcome her fear of reliving Pierre’s death. James seeks help from Green without success, and John visits Amelia to explain the significance of James’ work. When snow falls just as James predicted, Amelia recognizes the promise of his research and resolves to make the flight. Back in the balloon, the pair enter a violent storm that tosses the basket about and threatens to destroy the craft. They survive, although James suffers an injury, and continue climbing through the clouds into clear sunlight. James records measurements and releases pigeons carrying reports of their altitude and findings in case they do not return. The two begin to appreciate each other’s different talents. They also encounter butterflies traveling on an air current at an extraordinary height, confirming a theory proposed by John that James had previously doubted. As the balloon climbs past the existing altitude record of approximately twenty-three thousand feet, the temperature plunges and the air grows dangerously thin. Amelia, who understands the practical risks, insists that they must begin descending, but James is enthralled by the chance to obtain more measurements. He has not even brought adequate clothing for the cold, thinking it would reduce their chances of rising to greater heights. At roughly twenty-six thousand feet, he becomes confused from oxygen deprivation and resists Amelia’s attempts to turn back. Their argument grows personal when he refers to Pierre’s death as a consequence of reckless ambition. Amelia angrily explains that she was the one who insisted on continuing their earlier flight and that Pierre sacrificed himself to save her. The memory of his death, and her guilt over it, have haunted her ever since. James finally agrees that they must descend, but the balloon’s release valve has frozen shut. As James loses consciousness, Amelia faces an almost impossible task. She climbs out of the basket and up the balloon’s exterior, struggling against the bitter cold while her hands become frostbitten. Reaching the top, she forces the valve open and wedges her boot into the mechanism to let gas escape. Exhausted, she loses consciousness and falls from the balloon, but her safety tether catches her. Their craft reaches a peak altitude of more than thirty-six thousand feet before beginning its downward trajectory. Amelia eventually regains consciousness, swings herself back into the basket, and revives James. For a moment, the danger seems to have passed, but they discover that the balloon is losing gas too rapidly and falling toward the ground. They try to control the descent by discarding their equipment, supplies, and ballast, although James takes care to preserve his scientific notes. When that fails, they climb into the balloon’s supporting framework and cut away the heavy basket. Amelia contemplates sacrificing herself to save James, but he realizes that the collapsing balloon can function as a parachute. They spread the fabric to slow their fall and crash through trees before striking the ground. Both survive, bruised and battered, and find each other amid the wreckage. Their dangerous adventure has brought Amelia a measure of peace with her past and vindicated James’ faith in his work. In the aftermath, James’ observations help establish the foundations of modern weather forecasting. He returns to the Royal Society, where his achievements are now greeted with applause rather than ridicule, and the film closes with James and Amelia undertaking another balloon flight together.

After the adventure we witness in The Aeronauts, you might not expect Amelia and James to want to get back into a hot-air balloon anytime soon. As a Catholic, I would not blame them for never returning to the clouds. Given what happens to Pierre, the preservation of life is paramount, and they are risking that with such endeavors. There are those who say that taking part in these kinds of stunts is not worth the risk. As somebody who has gone skydiving twice, I will tell you that the reward of seeing God’s creation from such a vantage point is something to experience. It should also be pointed out that the Church does not consider these activities inherently sinful. There is nothing wrong with seeking thrills when the risks are reasonable and proper precautions are taken. Deliberately courting grave and needless danger, however, would be another matter. By and large, the thrill of flying is why Amelia takes part in the expedition. James has science in mind, but it is not simply knowledge for knowledge’s sake. There are some selfish motivations for him. He wants his peers, as in the Royal Society, to take his theories seriously. However, that is not how he initially convinces Amelia to take part in the endeavor. Instead, he talks of the benefit to humanity of being able to predict the weather more accurately should he be proven correct. That is applying a Catholic logic to the situation. More specifically, he says that his discoveries could save thousands of lives. That is selflessness, or at least seeking the betterment of others, which is a rough way of looking at how the Church defines love. Imagine if more people followed James’ example and devoted their efforts to making the world a better place. To that end, Amelia tells us at the end that the way to change the world is through the manner in which you live your life. Seeking to be a positive influence on the world is as Christian a way of doing so as I know.

If you give The Aeronauts a chance, I know you will come away with something. It does take some liberties with history, as it is based on real events. Nonetheless, it is a good story that I think you will enjoy.