Marval Movie

Throughout the events of First Man, the tale of the first man to step foot on the moon, Neil Armstrong, we are asked the question of why are we doing this? It costs a lot of money, a massive amount of effort and even lives lost and for what and why?

Our opening sequence is one where Armstrong is taking a test flight. The turbulence shakes the plane and the pilot, while he is being fed instructions to go a little to the left or increase pressure by two degrees etc. Yet to actually be up there would render anyone a panic-ridden mess. But for a brief moment while up there he flys calmly and can see the curvature of the Earth and the atmosphere. 

The characterization of Armstrong himself is of a very disciplined, reserved man. One who speaks plainly and simply and keeps a lot close to the chest. He talks to his superiors, the press, and even his children the same way. Though for a few moments it is obvious he has deep feelings and can see beauty in things. Ryan Gosling is at his most controlled since Blade Runner 2049, with only a few body movements and notes in speech detailedly convey the character.

Usually, with movies about space, you would expect a bigger emphasis (visually) to be paid to the massive machinery and looking up at the sky. To be sure there are such shots but this movie is more interested in the humanity of this story. There are many shots where the characters faces fill the frame and their grand displays of emotions or the subtle signs of it are fully displayed before us. So many movies are only interested in the machine, or the landscape and let the human element of the story fall by the wayside. Luckily this is not one of those movies, this one reminds us that humanity is going up into the stars.

There are moments within the movie where they work like colleagues of the Armstrong life. Sequences where the music plays and we see fun times being had between parents and children. These work as moments of texture so we gauge with these characters on an emotional level and see that they have facets. They are reminiscent of The Tree of Life and are very effective.

Little has been written or even known about Armstrong's wife Janet. Whether accurate or not the movie seeks to fill in this blank with her portrayal by Claire Foy. She is the one that must play housekeeper and perform most of the social cues to bring him out of his shell. She is not without a mind of her own and gives the men she is surrounded by a good piece it. Two scenes stand out, one where she confronts a higher official at NASA and another when she insists Neil have a talk with their sons.

There is sharp editing on the strapping in sequences. Fast cutting on the men getting into their seats and buckling up and nozzles and plugs being inserted into their sockets. These are accompanied by clear, razor-sharp sound design. It is an emphasis on every devise and movement of them, so we know that everything does indeed matter and if one calculation is off or something is not hooked up right then it could either make the mission incredibly difficult or destroy the entire craft along with the pilots.

The score by Justin Hurwitz is one of the most appropriate and unique of most recent movie soundtracks. There is a beautiful ninety-four piece orchestra for a full score that is reminiscent of 2001: A Space Oddesey, but one of the most unique elements is the inclusion of the theremin. This instrument you will most likely know best from Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Forbidden Planet. Considered a retro instrument now it gives off a very unique sound, somehow both electrical and organic, honestly, words fail me. It does invoke the feeling of space and technology and through its use in many other science fiction properties, we associate it with space exploration. At times it is wonderous, others cold and distant and others like a glorious waltz.

Damien Chazelle, who made Whiplash and La La Land are all about the pursuit of dreams, people that have a built-in need for an accomplishment that seems ludicrous or too hard to even bother enduring but still do it the same. Movies are the same way, it takes a lot of effort and money to get a movie made and throughout that, you could still ask why? Because when you accomplish something impressive and difficult it is inspiring and can change people for the better.

Rating: 4 stars out of 4