First Man (2018) --- “The Most Dangerous Mission In History Became Mankind’s Greatest Achievement. Experience The Impossible Journey.”

Copyright

Watch Trailer

Review

Subscribe HERE and share with your friends. 

Hello, Movie Buffs! 

     Directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land), written by Josh Singer (Spotlight, The Post), and based on the novel by James R. Hansen, First Man (2018) is a historical biopic film set in the 1960’s when the international space race between the USA and the Soviets is at an all-time high. At the start of the film the Soviets may have a substantial lead over the US but unwilling to be outdone, the US plans the first manned mission to the moon with astronaut Neil Armstrong as mission commander. This film does not only tell the story of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) getting to the moon but it also shows how this one mission affected his family and those closest to them. Despite the challenges and losses that he has endured both in his professional life and his personal life, Armstrong agrees to the mission knowing full well that he may never come home. Despite already knowing the outcome, First Man will keep you on the edge of your seat with a beautiful, emotional, and somewhat distorting journey through Neil Armstrong’s most formidable years and the risks these pioneers took in the name of space exploration.

     Director Chazelle and his team have created a beautiful and respectful film about one of the most famous astronauts in history and demonstrate how significant his contribution was to mankind. First Man (2018) demonstrates how terrifying and even unnerving it was to be a test pilot in the 60s by using sound to tell a story. Audiences hear everything from the deafening sound of roaring engines, to the warping of nuts & bolts, to the groaning of the spacecraft during liftoff to the complete and utter silence of space. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren (La La Land; Nutcracker & the Four Realms) uses incredible visuals to show how insignificant Earth is in comparison to the vastness of space, emphasizes on how much mankind accomplished by the 60s and highlights how much more we have yet to discover. Composer Justin Hurwitz (La La Land) crafts a haunting, enriching, and Awards worthy score that takes you back to the 60s and compliment every scene. Through the sound, visuals, and music score, Chazelle is able to set the tone for the rest of the film and informs that audience that they are about to embark on a bumpy ride.

     First Man does not excel because it uses planes and rockets to focuses on a major historical achievement in history. The film excels because it focuses on the struggles, perseverance, and how the events from test pilot to Apollo commander and finally the Moon Landing affected Armstrong both mentally and emotionally. The film also shows the magnitude of the challenges NASA faced: the pressure of beating the Soviets, the difficulty of testing in realistic scenarios, the anguish in losing some of their best people, and the hardships endured by the astronauts' families. There is a deep emotional side to this film and that only adds to its excellence. Every scene, dialogue, and the sound is there with the belief and confidence that it will only enhance what is unfolding in front of the audience.

     This film may be polished with finesse but there is also a ruggedness to it that stays with you till the end. Rather than use quick montage scenes, Chazelle uses the bare and gritty facts to demonstrate the failures NASA faced at the time; from the testing module failures and equipment burning out to the stress felt by everyone to be the first and to create a “safe & reliable” rocket. This was our finest hour, not only for the US but for mankind as well, and Chazelle uses every opportunity to show how the events were experienced by the first man on the moon, his family, and his friends.

     With a film that is both humanly intimate and emotionally grand, a big role like Neil Armstrong requires a lot of talent and not many actors have the ability to give him justice. However, Ryan Gosling (La La Land; Blade Runner 2049) depth portrayal of Neil Armstrong is superb. He gives a very realistic portrayal without being showy which is not who Neil Armstrong was. Despite all the attention he received as “The First Man” he was not very forthcoming and that is exactly how Gosling portrays him. He was a stable, well educated, professional, and highly focused (even in the face of danger) ordinary guy. He was emotionally distant but humble and loved in his own way. He also had a quiet and inwardly shy demeanor but with contemplative stares. He was a strong and silent type of man, and Gosling uses his facial expressions and very little dialogue to demonstrate the emotional and mental affects the mission training had on Neil.

     While Gosling delivers a performance that is strong and silent, Claire Foy (The Crown; The Girl in the Spider’s Web) delivers a performance that is strong and almost regal as Neil’s wife Janet. From the beginning, she demonstrates that she is not afraid to ask the tough questions nor will shy away from telling Neil to do what he needs to do. Their chemistry works great together, they understand each other and its evident in their eyes and expressions. Corey Stoll (The Romanoffs) as Buzz Aldrin, Luke Haas (The Revenant) as Mike Collins, Jason Clarke (Everest; Serenity) as Ed White, Cory Michael Smith (Gotham) as Roger Chaffe, Shea Whigham (Bad Times at the El Royale) as Gus Grissom, Pablo Schreiber (Skyscraper) as Jim Lovell, and many more did an incredible job as the supporting cast and gave solid performances.

     Overall, First Man (2018) is a historical biopic that is a technical masterpiece. The story focuses not only on the important events but also follows the main character, Neil Armstrong, and makes him relatable. Despite already knowing the outcome, First Man will keep you on the edge of your seat with a beautiful, emotional, and somewhat distorting journey through Neil Armstrong’s most formidable years and the risks these pioneers took in the name of space exploration. The sound is immersive, the visuals are stunning, and the music score takes you back to the 60s, and through theses mediums director Chazelle is able to set the tone for the rest of the film and informs that audience that they are about to embark on a bumpy ride. There is no doubt that audiences will be hanging on the edge of their seats and be captivated by the gravitas and artistic brilliance that is First Man. I highly recommend that you see this on a large scale format like IMAX or another sound-rich environment because only then will you be able to take in the visuals, sound, and music score to their fullest.

"What are the chances you're not coming back? Those kids, they don't have a father anymore! So you're gonna sit the boys down, and prepare them for the fact that you might never come home!"

- Janet Armstrong

Final Vote

Worth Seeing:  9.5 of 10 star

Worth Buying:  9.5 of 10 stars

I hope you liked this post, Subscribe HERE, send in your comments, and watch First Man (2018).

Movies Similar 

Apollo 13 (1995)
Apollo 18 (2011)
Armageddon (1998)
The Astronaut Farmer (2007)
Captain Philips (2013)
The Core (2003)
Deep Impact (1998)
Gravity (2013)
In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
Interstellar (2014)
The Martian (2015)
Poseidon (2006)
The Perfect Storm (2000)
Space Cowboys (2000)
Twister (1996)
Volcano (1997)
United 93 (2006)
World Trade Center (2006)
The Walk (2015)