Review of First Man (2018) by Mike V — 11 Oct 2018

Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle puts the story of one of mankind's greatest achievements onto the silver screen with Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon. Chronicling NASA's years of research, failure, and Armstrong's perseverance through them all, "First Man" also delves into his fractured family life and psyche following a deeply personal tragedy.

"First Man" is grim, claustrophobic, and one of the most unique offerings amongst space-travel films in a long time. Working from James R. Hansen's definitive biography, "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong," Damien Chazelle's third major film is a weaker character study than it is a heart-pounding snapshot of Armstrong's contributions to the 1960's Space Race.

In few words, First Man is a breathtaking experience. The gravity of the danger and magnitude of launching living beings into the cold, uncaring reaches of outer space relentlessly pounds away at its characters and audience in ways few other films of similar style have, literally snatching one's breath away. Beautifully but subtly stylized visuals of space are cut short before they can be appreciated by intrusively frequent cuts, and copious amounts of shaky cam in cramped, entrapping shots squeeze one into Armstrong's perpetually life-threatening place in the cockpit. Linus Sandgren's cinematography for "First Man" is at once stunning, but also completely unpleasant, and Chazelle employs it in such a way that it all works cohesively and thematically for the film.

At the same time, "First Man" is a total slow burn and a clever throwback to an appropriately 60's style of filmmaking. It feels beat for beat like a film straight out of the 60's (very reminiscent of the 1969 classic, "Medium Cool"), with small little details like a prevalent use of handheld shots and zooms rooting the film in the time period. And alongside scenes in space that are terrifying and exhilarating, Chazelle shows an incredible amount of restraint through them all, never opting for easy spectacle or bombastic moments.

This tight stylistic hand of prudence winds back as a double-edged sword, though; as strong as "First Man" is visually, Ryan Gosling gets little to act with as Armstrong. Without knowing how accurate the film is to the man in real life, the character of Gosling's Armstrong dotes in grief with a permanent scowl on his face in a performance that just never grabs you. Unfortunately, the same can be said for the other supporting performances, including Claire Foy as Armstrong's first wife, Janet (though Corey Stoll's other man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin, does leave a great, though brief, impression).

While Armstrong's tragedy is a strong base to develop character on, it feels a little light as a motivating through line for the film as a whole. It's ultimately a very smart personal motivator shining behind Armstrong's eyes as he makes strides in science and progress for future generations, and a nice juxtaposition in its thematic simplicity against the weight of NASA's research, though. The final payoff in the crew's arrival on the Moon is pure cathartic bliss with a grounded but dreamy sequence to match any of Kubrick's "2001." The beautiful personal resonance the scene has for Armstrong nearly rectifies the film's struggle with character, and though Alfonso Cuarón's "Gravity" accomplished a better overall feel to his film's similar theme, the final impact of "First Man" hits miles harder.