review for Conquest of Space on AllMovie

Conquest of Space can almost be seen as a continuation of producer George Pal's earlier Destination Moon, but there are some significant differences between the two films. Most significant is that Conquest is much more character-driven than Moon. Had the characters been more fully and convincingly developed, this would have made Conquest a superior film. Unfortunately, most of the character development is hackneyed and trite -- and in some cases utterly unbelievable. This last quality is exemplified by a totally out-of-left-field religious conversion for the lead character, which is crucial for the plot of the film but is so poorly set up that it damages the film's credibility. The religious atmosphere that permeates the rest of the film is interesting -- especially the deus ex machina ending wherein a gentle snowfall promises the creation of plant life to benefit the astronauts -- and adds a texture missing from Moon. The special effects team's work is strangely variable here; visible wires and obvious matte shots alternate with some impressive and convincing shots of the space station and its various components. The script has all the plot elements that make 1950s sci-fi enjoyable, and even has a few genuinely amusing moments (such as the dinner scenes involving food pills), and the acting is of the same general quality as similar films from this genre. Conquest is not a stellar example of sci-fi cinema, but it's decently enjoyable.