First Man

One of the greatest movies in my life was "Apollo 13" and it remains my favourite film based on a true story. I practically have the show memorized and that's one reason why I did not need to watch it before seeing "First Man". I also didn't want to compare the two films all that much but that was going to happen regardless. By way of analogy, "Apollo 13" is romanticism whereas "First Man" is realism. Both have their strengths and both were historically accurate but I respond more to the heroic and adventurous portrayal of the space race by Ron Howard. That being said, the frank and realistic take by Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle should be applauded. The cinematography and set design set it apart from other movies covering the same subject.

In the past, such as in the mini-series "From the Earth to the Moon", there seems to be a feeling of anticipation for a successful landing. This comes from the fact that we are portraying the event with the benefit of hindsight. "First Man" uses the tragedies of other pilots and astronauts to heighten the stakes in order to accurately portray the Apollo program as a real danger for those who travelled up to the heavens. At the time, there was no guarantee that NASA could get Neil and Buzz home, let alone to the moon. Apollo 1 is an important event in the story. From the moment that the character of Ed appears in the movie, I feared that his last name was White. Just as "Titanic" spent a good deal of its screen time showcasing the optimism and ego of those living in the 1910's, "First Man" showcases the fears and losses underwent in the 1960's leading up to the "one giant leap for mankind". This creates genuine suspense and appreciation for the accomplishment. As with most biographically themed films, the protagonist is established as ordinary before making history. This contrast makes the end accomplishment all the more climatic. In the case of Neil Armstrong, you can't say that an engineer/test pilot has a run-of-the-mill job but he wasn't world famous. Even when he is accepted into the astronaut program, he is just one of many qualified men. "First Man" is facing a little controversy because the film doesn't show the American Flag in the process of being planted. It is true that the film shows the flag and while it would have been nice to see the moment of it being set up on the moon, the argument goes farther than that for me. The astronauts also uncovered a plaque, took some famous photos, left a memorial bag and even threw out some unneeded equipment after getting back into the Lunar Module. Buzz Aldrin also took communion after landing. I would have wanted to see a lot of those things in the movie but I understand that the focus of the film is on Neil and his life. The title of the movie is "First Man" after all and not "First Trip". Chazelle also wanted to show unknown moments that happened on the surface. I still think it wouldn't have hurt to spend more screen time on the moon. Because the landing happened almost happened 50 years ago, most everything about it has become unknown to the general public. The elimination of sound at one point in the film did go a little too far in my opinion. The absence of sound in space can make a scene in this genre poignant but those working on this film extended the moment too long and that snaps the audience out of their submissive state as they watch. Those in the theater wonder if there is a problem with the projector and the magic of watching a movie is gone. I was impressed however with how the filmmakers recreated shots of the rocket launch and modules moving in space. The contrast of light and darkness was noteworthy.

I didn't know until the credits rolled that Steven Spielberg was an executive producer on "First Moon". Clint Eastwood was the first director considered for this project and I am somewhat curious as to how he would have brought this screenplay to life. He does well with depicting true life stories. Ryan Gosling really captures Neil Armstrong's reserved personality. Buzz Aldrin has always been the more vocal and press-friendly astronaut of the mission. For Armstrong though, he was mostly concerned with getting the job done. Some thought he was a recluse after the mission but that doesn't explain him participating in interviews, commercials and TV series after 1969. I just think he was uncomfortable being bigger than life and Gosling captures that aspect of his personality. Golden Globe winner Claire Foy is amazing in "The Crown" on Netflix and did fine in "Breathe" opposite Andrew Garfield but this is the first time I have heard her perform an American accent. She nailed it. Jim Lovell was a major character in this film but I keeping missing him when I watch the movie. I'm so used to his character looking like Tom Hanks. Jason Clarke was a familiar face but Kyle Chandler's is even more so when it comes to period films such as "Argo". The set design really sold the 1960's. We have seen accurately designed spacecrafts from the Apollo era before on the movie screen but this time; there is a sense of claustrophobia and "function over fashion". From a cinematography standpoint, Oscar-winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren created realism pretty well with the use of handheld cameras for the majority of the show and with the use of IMAX for the lunar scenes. Justin Hurwitz's Golden Globe-winning musical score for this movie did sound a little similar at some points to his Oscar-winning work on "La La Land". By the way, I think it is apparent through the cinematography and musical score that allusions were being made to "2001: A Space Odyssey".

"First Man" garnished four Oscar nominations for its production design, sound editing, sound mixing and visual effects. I was hoping it would win in the first two categories but it ended up winning Best Visual Effects. I can agree to that because you believed what you were seeing on the screen. Visually stunning movies however tend not to have lasting value because they lose their greatest asset when re-experienced on the home television screen. For this movie, it is hard to know whether it will have lasting value. "Apollo 13" may have been a romantic depiction but its accurate portrayal of the space race as well as other factors made it a success. What makes "First Man" special besides historical accuracy is its cinematography and set design.

4 Stars out of 5