Review; The Last Man on the Moon
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By Paul Fiander
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The Last Man on the Moon is in cinemas from 8 April with a special Nationwide Live Q&A with Captain Eugene Cernan on 11 AprilVery few people have ever been to space but there are only 11 Astronauts who have gone that one step further. Gene Cernan is one of these men and he is in fact the last man to walk on the moon. You could have guessed this from the title but I for one had no idea of who the other Astronauts are other than Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. It's obviously a big gap in my knowledge but I'm pretty sure the numbers who know the 11 are relatively low.
Cernan himself went into space three times and for each of those missions he was the pilot. This compelling documentary let's you into the world of an Astronaut albeit 50 years later, in a very up close and personal way interviewing not only him but also his friends, colleagues and most importantly his family. |
We get to spend a long time in the company of Captain Cernan and thankfully he is more than up to the task. His voice is clear and strong, though you do get to hear him almost crack on at least two occasions. It's these moments more than any other that make you realise this is a true story that impacted the lives of not than just one man.
In visual terms a few imagery sources are used, including footage from the 60’s, graphics and of course shot footage. There is a tendency for the footage to linger on Cernan after he has spoken. He handles this well but again it can feel a little uncomfortable at times. This is especially apparent in the opening scenes as Cernan is sitting in a rodeo watching some rather crazy people try to ride bulls. This is interspersed with images of Astronaut training that honestly I'm not sure why they are there. The title literally treks you what this film is about unless you are going in cold so the slow intro just feels a bit filmy and it off pace for the rest of the documentary. It's rather a small issue but it feels that the “artistic” start is out of keeping for a story based around a rather amazing character. Other than that we are treated to some nice shots of space travel memorabilia as well as the all the all important Moon footage. All in all the best parts of the film far out way my little issues with the cinematography.
Thanks to the likes of Aliens, Star Wars and the like we have become desensitised to a certain degree about the idea of space travel. The exhilaration and the worry must be among just some of the emotions that fly through those people who got to change the world. The Last Man on the Moon is a look at someone who has not only been to space but also actually walked on the celestial body closest to the Earth. Although there are minor issues with the film it still is a story worthy of your time.
In visual terms a few imagery sources are used, including footage from the 60’s, graphics and of course shot footage. There is a tendency for the footage to linger on Cernan after he has spoken. He handles this well but again it can feel a little uncomfortable at times. This is especially apparent in the opening scenes as Cernan is sitting in a rodeo watching some rather crazy people try to ride bulls. This is interspersed with images of Astronaut training that honestly I'm not sure why they are there. The title literally treks you what this film is about unless you are going in cold so the slow intro just feels a bit filmy and it off pace for the rest of the documentary. It's rather a small issue but it feels that the “artistic” start is out of keeping for a story based around a rather amazing character. Other than that we are treated to some nice shots of space travel memorabilia as well as the all the all important Moon footage. All in all the best parts of the film far out way my little issues with the cinematography.
Thanks to the likes of Aliens, Star Wars and the like we have become desensitised to a certain degree about the idea of space travel. The exhilaration and the worry must be among just some of the emotions that fly through those people who got to change the world. The Last Man on the Moon is a look at someone who has not only been to space but also actually walked on the celestial body closest to the Earth. Although there are minor issues with the film it still is a story worthy of your time.
