Apollo 11 movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Apollo 11 (2019) [Blu-ray]

RATING: G

LENGTH: 1 hour, 33 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A-

IN A NUTSHELL: This is a fascinating documentary that features real footage of the legendary 1969 mission to the moon with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.

I’m sure director and editor Todd Douglas Miller is hoping that the recent movie First Man ignited some interest in the topic. The old 35mm, 65mm, and 70mm footage was restored and looks surprisingly great. The film is being shown in IMAX theaters across the country. You can see my movie review of First Man here.

I was very young at the time, but I remember watching the actual Apollo 11 (2019) [Blu-ray] moon landing with my family because my father let us kids know what a significant moment it was in human history.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Unless your kids are huge space fans, they’ll be bored.
Your kids will see things from the 1960s, including pay telephones, some of the first color TVs, fashion, computers, cameras, and cars.
Your kids will be amazed that most of the people in the crowd who watched the live event on-site wore suits and dresses!

THEMES:

The power of mankind and humanity when they reach for the stars and work together
“The insatiable curiosity of mankind to explore the universe”

THINGS I LIKED:

After seeing the movie First Man, it was really cool to see the real footage of some of the events that were featured in that movie.
All of the music in the documentary was played on instruments that were available in 1969.
I got a kick out of the scene that showed all of the people who had camped out around Merritt Island near the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to see the launch. Supposedly, Tonight Show host Johnny Carson can be seen, but I didn’t spot him.
There is no narrator other than the original voices of the historic event.
Some of the shots are really impressive.
The color is fantastic.
What really struck me is how many people it took to take 3 men to the moon.
I thought it was interesting to hear the live report about Neil Armstrong’s heart rate jumping up when they landed on the moon.
I loved listening to the chit-chat between the crews in Houston, Florida, and Apollo 11 astronauts.
Keep watching during the closing credits for more footage.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Some people will say it’s boring and feels like watching an old news report.
Well, you pretty much KNOW what’s going to happen, right?
There are a few moments when the screen is totally dark because of the cameras in space.

OTHER MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

Apollo 11 (2019) [Blu-ray]