Reviews

As someone very knowledgeable about the subject, I was somewhat disappointed. Whether it was the wrinkled uniforms, the painful dialogue, the over-the-top dramatics and exaggerated explosions (hey, it's Emmerich!)... it was clear the film was not made for people like me who know the details and the characters very well.

The rating depends greatly on the target audience. It's clear this film was made for a younger audience, and as such, it does a very good job of conveying the history quite accurately. It's a lot to take on with a 2:20 movie (complete with a 6-month summary of events leading up to the title battle) and it does a fine job of that.

Correct history of this great nation tragically just isn't taught anymore, so I heartily applaud any effort to do so. I just wonder if younger audiences have any desire to learn it. So if I'm rating from that perspective, it jumps up a few points.

I just wish a little more care with the details and script had been taken to leave the older audience satisfied from our knowledge level.

This film took me back to a time I'll never forget. I can vividly remember almost everything I did during those days in July, 1969.

I loved the fact that the narration was handled by using the recordings of the Public Affairs Officers during the mission. I think that's critical to the immersion factor of this film/documentary. Much of the footage at the launch pad was simply amazing and has never been seen before. The only visual NOT from 1969 is the occasional graphic illustrating an upcoming flight maneuver.

I was privileged to witness the Apollo 15 launch in 1971 and I will simply never forget the shock waves pulsating off my chest and column of liquid sunshine from those mighty F-1 engines as the Saturn V muscled its way into the Florida sky.

The inclusion of President Kennedy's moon challenge at the end was the absolutely perfect way to wrap up the story of "Apollo 11" and the satisfaction of a goal accomplished and a door opened to the future. This is what America is capable of achieving when we have the focus and the will to persevere and follow through. The question I'm left with is: "Do we still have the will to dream big and the courage to finish the course?"