Cosmic Sin

Cosmic Sin is a 2021 American science fiction action film directed by Edward Drake and written by Drake and Corey Large.^[4] The film stars Bruce Willis, Frank Grillo, Brandon Thomas Lee, Corey Large, Perrey Reeves, C.J. Perry, Lochlyn Munro, and Costas Mandylor.^[5] Set in the 26th century, the narrative follows a group of rogue soldiers who launch a preemptive strike against a newly discovered alien civilization believed to pose a threat to humanity.

The film was released theatrically and on digital platforms in the United States on March 12, 2021, by Saban Films. It was widely panned by critics and performed poorly at the box office, grossing approximately $349,757 worldwide. It is frequently cited as one of the worst films of Willis’s career. At the 42nd Golden Raspberry Awards, Willis was awarded "Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie," a category created specifically for his performances that year. The award was later rescinded following the announcement of Willis’s diagnosis with aphasia.

In the year 2524, humanity has expanded beyond the Solar System under the control of a unified world government known as the Alliance. Retired General James Ford, once known as the "Blood General" for deploying a quantum bomb that killed 70 million during a past rebellion, is recalled to duty when contact is lost with miners on a distant planet.

The incident is revealed to be humanity’s first encounter with a hostile alien species capable of infecting and controlling human hosts. As the infection spreads, a rapid-response team—comprising Ford, Alliance commander Eron Ryle, Ford’s ex-wife Dr. Lea Goss, and other specialists—is assembled to launch a preemptive strike before Earth is compromised.

Traveling to the colony world Ellora, the team discovers that the aliens operate as a hive mind and are constructing a quantum gate to enable a full-scale invasion from their home system. During the mission, several members of the team are injured or killed, and Goss becomes infected. The aliens attempt to communicate through her, offering assimilation or annihilation.

To prevent the invasion, the team launches a quantum bomb toward the gate. When the weapon is intercepted, Ryle sacrifices himself to guide a second orbital strike, successfully destroying the gate and the alien fleet. The remaining team members return to Earth, where the Alliance announces victory. Ford, still grieving the loss of Goss, quietly departs the celebration.

• Bruce Willis as James Ford^[6]
• Frank Grillo as Gen. Eron Ryle^[1]
• Brandon Thomas Lee as Braxton Ryle^[7]
• Corey Large as Dash
• Perrey Reeves as Dr. Lea Goss
• C.J. Perry as Sol Cantos^[7]
• Lochlyn Munro as Alex Locke^[7]
• Costas Mandylor as Marcus Bleck
• Adelaide Kane as Corporal Fiona Ardene^[1]
• Eva De Dominici as Juda Sayle
• Trevor Gretzky as Felix Zand^[8]
• Johnny Messner as Coco (uncredited cameo)

The concept for Cosmic Sin was developed by Edward Drake and Corey William Large, who aimed to create a science fiction action film centered around humanity's first contact with a hostile alien species. The project was announced in early 2020, with Bruce Willis and Frank Grillo attached to star.^[9]

In March 2020, it was reported that Grillo, Luke Wilson, and Adelaide Kane had joined the cast alongside Willis. The ensemble cast also includes Brandon Thomas Lee, Corey William Large, Perrey Reeves, CJ Perry, Lochlyn Munro, and Costas Mandylor.^[10]

Principal photography for Cosmic Sin began in early 2020 and wrapped up in March 2020. The production faced challenges due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted the film industry globally. Despite these challenges, the filmmakers completed the shoot, primarily utilizing locations in Georgia, USA.^[11]

Cosmic Sin was released in the United States on March 12, 2021, through a simultaneous theatrical, video-on-demand, and digital release by Saban Films.^[12] The film was later released on DVD and Blu-ray by Paramount Home Entertainment on May 18, 2021.^[13][14]

As of August 27, 2022, Cosmic Sin grossed $349,757 from international markets, including Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand. The film did not receive a wide theatrical release in the United States and primarily reached audiences through video-on-demand platforms.^[3]

Cosmic Sin was widely panned by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 6% based on 34 reviews, with an average rating of 2.8/10. The site's consensus reads, "Let he who is without Cosmic Sin cast the first stone—and possibly use it to rouse Bruce Willis from the slumber he seems to be in throughout this dreadful sci-fi blunder."^[15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 9 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike."^[16]

Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com awarded the film zero stars, stating, “To suggest that Bruce Willis is phoning in his performance in Cosmic Sin would be an insult to telephone communication,” and described the film as “baffling and boring,” lacking even the charm of a memorable B-movie.^[17]

Noel Murray of the Los Angeles Times noted that the film contained “genuinely impressive special effects sequences” and an ambitious concept but criticized its execution as “tedious” and reliant on clichés. He wrote that while Frank Grillo brought brief energy to the film, his limited screen time left Bruce Willis to carry the narrative, resulting in a performance Murray called “more lackluster than usual.”^[18]

Bruce Willis was nominated for 8 different titles in a special category created for the 42nd Golden Raspberry Awards: "Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie," and he won for Cosmic Sin. The category was later rescinded after Willis publicly announced his retirement from acting due to a diagnosis of aphasia.^[19][20]

• Cosmic Sin at IMDb