Life (2017)
Be careful what you search for.
The six-member crew of the International Space Station is tasked with studying a sample from Mars that may be the first proof of extra-terrestrial life, which proves more intelligent than ever expected.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 22 March 2017 |
| Genre | Horror, Science Fiction, Mystery |
| Director | Daniel Espinosa |
| Starring | Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson |
| Runtime | 104 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 68% · Metacritic 54/100 · TMDB users 6.5/10 |
| Budget | $58 million |
| Box office | $101 million worldwide |
Where to watch Life
Life is streaming on Hulu ($21.49 a month) in the US. It is also on Tubi. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Hulu is $21.49 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 31 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent Life on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Plex. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Life in 58 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Albania | Max |
| Algeria | Netflix about |
| Andorra | Netflix |
| Antigua & Barbuda | Max |
| Argentina | Max $9590 ARS |
| Australia | Netflix $20.99 AUD |
| Bahamas | Max |
| Barbados | Max |
| Belgium | Netflix €10.99 |
| Belize | Max |
| Bolivia | Max |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | Max |
| Brazil | Max R$34.90 |
| Bulgaria | Max |
| Chile | Max $9590 CLP |
| Colombia | Max $24900 COP |
| Costa Rica | Max |
| Croatia | Max |
| Czechia | Canal+, Max |
| Dominican Republic | Max |
| Ecuador | Max $8.29 |
| El Salvador | Max |
| France | Netflix €14.99 |
| French Guiana | Netflix |
| French Polynesia | Netflix about |
| Guatemala | Max |
| Guyana | Max |
| Honduras | Max |
| Hungary | Max |
| Jamaica | Max |
| Japan | Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Luxembourg | Netflix €10.99 |
| Mauritius | Netflix about |
| Mexico | Max $149 MXN |
| Moldova | Max |
| Monaco | Netflix |
| Montenegro | Max |
| Morocco | Netflix |
| Nicaragua | Max |
| North Macedonia | Max |
| Panama | Max $8.29 |
| Paraguay | Max |
| Peru | Max S/35.90 |
| Poland | Max 39.99 zł |
| Portugal | Netflix €8.99 |
| Romania | Max |
| Serbia | Max |
| Slovakia | Canal+, Max |
| Slovenia | Max |
| South Korea | Wavve ₩10900, Watcha |
| St. Lucia | Max |
| Sweden | TV4 Play free |
| Switzerland | Netflix CHF14.90 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Max |
| Tunisia | Netflix about |
| Turks & Caicos Islands | Max |
| Uruguay | Max $U399 |
| Venezuela | Max |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Daniel Espinosa directs a 104-minute horror film where a Mars sample grows on the International Space Station. The crew, including Dr. David Jordan, studies it until it studies them back. The tagline warns you to be careful what you search for. That is fair advice, though probably too late once the thing starts moving.
What the critics said
The reception was lukewarm, which fits a film about a monster that refuses to die. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 68% as of November 2024, with an average rating of 6/10 from October 2021. Metacritic lands on 54 as of November 2025, a score that suggests mixed feelings. Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal called it "another variant of Alien," noting that in space, no one can hear you snore. Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times found the setting familiar, describing it as territory where more inventive screenwriters have gone before. Audiences were less convinced than the critics, giving it a C+ from CinemaScore.
How it did with audiences
Life cost $58 million to make and took in $101 million worldwide. That is a profit, though not a blockbuster. In the United States, it earned $30 million. Its opening weekend netted $12.6 million, placing it 4th behind Beauty and the Beast. Audiences on TMDB rate it 6.5 out of 10.
What came next for the cast
Jake Gyllenhaal moved from the grounded tension of Prisoners into superhero and action territory. Hiroyuki Sanada traded period dramas for high-octane franchises like John Wick and Bullet Train. Rebecca Ferguson leveraged her spy credentials to land a role in Dune. These shifts show range, but not causation. The film did not dictate their next choices. It simply sat in the middle of a busy decade.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Life.
Read more: Alien: Romulus · Event Horizon · Alien: Covenant · Prometheus
Sources
- Life on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q26465665 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Life (2017 film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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