The Midnight Sky movie featured on Netflix isn’t really a “gun movie,” but the film’s main character utilizes a unique looking lever action rifle that’s worth taking a look at. The lever action rifle in question is clearly a stainless Marlin with a strange looking muzzle device and a slick looking skeletonized buttstock.  Despite the gun, or gun play not being a primary focus of The Midnight Sky, the curious looking Marlin does see some action, and we get some nice glimpses of it in the process.

THE MIDNIGHT SKY LEVER ACTION RIFLE

If you haven’t seen The Midnight Sky yet, it takes place in the year 2049, partly in the arctic circle where the main character, Augustine (George Clooney) works as a scientist.  Earth is in a dire state, and Augustine is attempting to contact a returning space mission about the current troubles. I’ll leave it at that so as not to spoil anything. Along his quest, Augustine employs a mildly futuristic Marlin, the exact model of which is not currently known, but it’s likely an 1895 SBL in .45-70 Government. Sadly, we don’t see him loading any cartridges to confirm exactly, but the barrel and magazine tube appear to have a good diameter to them.

Marlin 1895 SBL. Image credit: Marlin Firearms

Let’s start off with the muzzle device, which is rectangular and appears to be part of the barrel itself, rather than fixed to it from the muzzle.  The odd-shaped muzzle appears to be added strictly for looks, but given the harsh environment of the far north, there could be practical reasons someone considered when kitting it out for the film. One possibility could be for launching a muzzle loaded flare via blank cartridges, or perhaps as a line throwing attachment. Either way, it doesn’t seem to completely ruin the look of the ol’ lever gun and gives a bit of mystique, even to gun guys.

The Midnight Sky. Image credit: Annonymous Content, Netflix, Smokehouse Pictures, Syndicate Ent., Truenorth Productions.

The Midnight Sky. Image credit: Annonymous Content, Netflix, Smokehouse Pictures, Syndicate Ent., Truenorth Productions.

Moving aft, the handguard looks customized, but much more subtly than the buttstock, which is skeletonized, but the hollowed section also sports a sort of smooth, hardened sinewy, interwoven works that really draws the eye. I can’t make up my mind if the inner workings of the skeleton stock are kept intact for added strength, or purely for looks to aid in the futuristic saga. The stock also resembles some of the structural work of the spaceship Augustine is attempting to contact.

The Midnight Sky. Image credit: Annonymous Content, Netflix, Smokehouse Pictures, Syndicate Ent., Truenorth Productions.

The Midnight Sky. Image credit: Annonymous Content, Netflix, Smokehouse Pictures, Syndicate Ent., Truenorth Productions.

Overall, The Midnight Sky was well done, with great visual effects, an intriguing storyline, good acting, and of course, a cool looking rifle.  My wife is not a fan of sci-fi, but she enjoyed it as much as I did. Parts of it can be a bit slow, but I found it was a thought-provoking flick.  Do you think there’s another explanation for the rectangular muzzle?  Would you give this custom Marlin a vote of “hot gat or fudd crap”?