Review: First Man

Film: First Man
Director:Damien Chazelle
Cast: Ryan Gosling,
Cinematographer: Linus Sandgren, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Pablo, Corey Stoll and others

Damien Chazelle’s First Man gives you a detailed and personal account of what happened in the life of Neil Armstrong, before, during and after his accomplishment of setting foot on the moon.

Ryan Gosling plays Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, to perfection in the engaging film, which has you on edge for the most part. First man also throws light on the personal life of Armstrong and gives viewers an idea of the political developments during the time.

The film presents the scientific challenges that the team of researchers and astronauts faced, in a manner that even those who are not well versed in science can understand.

The cold war between the two superpowers of the period, the Soviet Union and the United States of America and the race between them to establish their supremacy in the field of space research and technology, the pressure this contest generated on their scientific communities, the personal tragedy that Neil Armstrong suffered just a year before he offered to present himself for an interview before NASA when it called for applications from astronauts to go out into space, the biggest challenge NASA had to overcome when it had to have one part of its spacecraft deattach itself and land on the moon before managing to dock back again with the original spacecraft are all beautifully showcased in this gripping entertainer thas been based on the book by James R Hansen.

The film has some astounding visuals that are shot by cinematographer Linus Sandgren. While most space films usually only give you breathtaking shots of space and on occasions, the world, Linus Sandgren’s visuals also show the challenges in an astronaut’s life. For instance, during the selection process, NASA gets its trainee pilots into gadgets that are so crammed for space that you can’t help feeling claustrophobic as a viewer. The awkward positions that astronauts had to take in their spacecrafts while the rockets get blasted into space, automatically make you wonder what must have gone through the minds of the men undertaking the mission, knowing fully well that there was a good chance they might not return.

The pain, the anguish, the urge to be the first to set foot on the moon, the pressure of ensuring that a series of complex scientific procedures get done with precision, the threat of blowing up a mission on which billions was being invested by a government, much against the wishes of its people are all brought in the film which makes you realise the psychological state everybody working on that mission must have been.

In all, First Man is a story of true courage, sacrifice and determination and more importantly, it is not just for those who have a background in science, it is also for those without it.