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First Man uses a personal focus to fuel a look back at a pivotal moment in human history - and takes audiences on a soaring dramatic journey along the way.
All Critics (404) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (353) | Rotten (51)
A fascinating film, it's difficult to watch at times because there's so much loss and so much risk that we never really thought about that lead us getting there. Mar 21, 2019 | Full Review…
A fascinating film, it's difficult to watch at times because there's so much loss and so much risk that we never really thought about that lead us getting there.
tt stern-enzi
This is a movie that - flag or no flag - doesn't need to take a political stance to make a political statement. ● Oct 18, 2018 | Full Review…
This is a movie that - flag or no flag - doesn't need to take a political stance to make a political statement. ●
Alison Willmore
A long, draining, almost painful film that commands admiration more than love. Oct 14, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
A long, draining, almost painful film that commands admiration more than love.
Matthew Norman
As long as First Man is airborne, it's a marvel. I can't recall another movie that conveyed with such punch the perils and exhilarations of spaceflight. It's when the film is earthbound that it falls down. Oct 12, 2018 | Rating: B- | Full Review…
As long as First Man is airborne, it's a marvel. I can't recall another movie that conveyed with such punch the perils and exhilarations of spaceflight. It's when the film is earthbound that it falls down.
Peter Rainer
It's a movie where the technique matches the ambition, one that moves from tragedy to grandeur to personal drama without becoming bombastic or even worse, falsely patriotic. Oct 12, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
It's a movie where the technique matches the ambition, one that moves from tragedy to grandeur to personal drama without becoming bombastic or even worse, falsely patriotic.
Paul Byrnes
Ryan Gosling's impassive visage must have the gravitational pull of a black hole, because Chazelle can't seem to keep his camera from being pulled loose from its moorings and drawn in thisclose for more than one or two scenes at a time. Oct 12, 2018 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…
Ryan Gosling's impassive visage must have the gravitational pull of a black hole, because Chazelle can't seem to keep his camera from being pulled loose from its moorings and drawn in thisclose for more than one or two scenes at a time.
Matthew Lickona
You feel every nerve-racking moment of this situation you'd never otherwise experience. It's what cinema was made for. Apr 16, 2019 | Full Review…
You feel every nerve-racking moment of this situation you'd never otherwise experience. It's what cinema was made for.
Richard Trenholm
From the opening moments of First Man, it's clear that director Damien Chazelle has set out to depict space travel in a way heretofore unseen on the big screen. Apr 9, 2019 | Rating: 9/10 | Full Review…
From the opening moments of First Man, it's clear that director Damien Chazelle has set out to depict space travel in a way heretofore unseen on the big screen.
Brent Hankins
Harrowing, fascinating and very moving, "First Man" takes a larger-than-life story and brings the people down to earth, while never diminishing the enormity and grandeur of the achievements. Apr 4, 2019 | Full Review…
Harrowing, fascinating and very moving, "First Man" takes a larger-than-life story and brings the people down to earth, while never diminishing the enormity and grandeur of the achievements.
Asia Frey
Interspersed amongst the rattling, vibrato, and shaky camera-work, nonetheless, are Oscar-worthy performances. Apr 2, 2019 | Full Review…
Interspersed amongst the rattling, vibrato, and shaky camera-work, nonetheless, are Oscar-worthy performances.
Wendy Shreve
First Man is one of the most delicate, intimate and complexe space exploration movies ever made. [Full review in Spanish] Apr 1, 2019 | Rating: 8.6/10 | Full Review…
First Man is one of the most delicate, intimate and complexe space exploration movies ever made. [Full review in Spanish]
Nicolás Ruiz
A compelling real-life story, an acclaimed director, impressive visuals, a good cast, First Man has so much going for it, which does not explain why the film is so underwhelming. Mar 20, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
A compelling real-life story, an acclaimed director, impressive visuals, a good cast, First Man has so much going for it, which does not explain why the film is so underwhelming.
Sameen Amer
There is, about society, a nonchalance about things that involve risk and take effort outside of ourselves: "Aww, that wasn't nothing!" The point of this retelling of Neil Armstrong's first step on the Moon is to remove that nonchalance, and so we are treated to a close-up look of the extreme effort and undeniable risk, and the creeping toll that took on the souls involved. Stripped away are the token patriotism and grandstanding, flag-waving, and we are left with a singular human achievement that touches our lives still. An intelligent and understanding effort.
Super Reviewer
Sure, there was The Right Stuff about the beginning of manned space exploration and there is Apollo 13 of course, but it comes as a bit of a surprise there hasn't been a movie about Neil Armstrong yet. But here it is and it very evenly balances a very private family drama and the most intense and realistic space action on film to date. It starts out with quite the emotional bang and doesn't let go over the admittedly long running time. The acting is top notch and the soundtrack one of the best of the year. Great work by everyone involved.
Relying on a beautiful score, an amazing technology and an intelligent direction that emphasizes the character's lack of anything to anchor him in his life, this is a poignant character study about a man who wants to isolate himself not only from his family but from the rest of the world.
This is a hard left turn for Damien Chazelle, who is arguably the best director working today in my opinion. Completely different from his previous films, it seems his goal with this one is to impress rather than entertain, and he succeeds in that. The directing, acting, cinematography and personal story creates what is probably the most realistic space movie ever made, but at a price. There are some boring stretches between occasional moments of humor or intrigue. The monetary, physical and personal cost of space travel and its difficulties are illustrated perfectly, but it doesn't make for the most exciting movie.
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