First Man (2018)
One giant leap for moviegoers.
Presentation:
Damien Chazelle presents an interesting direction for the moon landing opting for more of a mood piece rather than a traditional biopic. In a way, the film feels neutral as a result of the objective framing, but the distance from the camera makes it emotionally distant as well. This was perhaps a point to depict Neil Armstrong’s grief, but it just didn’t pan out too well. The reason this film is beloved is for the experience. The film is shot on super 16 and IMAX, which films like Smashing Machine would go on to replicate. The result is a modern anchor to a very nostalgic and homemade style of filmmaking especially because of the handheld camera movement. Ryan Gosling goes for a mature and realistic approach, but ended up feeling flat and cold due to the direction.
Conclusion:
To be frank this film was boring because of the cold and distant filmmaking style. It’s still beautifully nostalgic and the way 16mm makes you feel is something special. It’s a special film, but the performance and emotion just aren’t there to make you care about the mission.
Recommendations
Not the smashing you expected.