A moving and epic tale of American heroism

Rating: 8/10 (19 July 2000)

Here it is, one of the best films of the 90s. A truly moving and beautiful film that deserves every bit of praise that has been heaped on it by critics and audiences alike. This movie is more of an experience than a narrative, as most of us are quite familiar with the events surrounding the doomed Apollo 13 mission to the moon.
I was simply impressed with the utter and stark realism of the film, and the fact that the near tragedy did not manage to sour the audience on space exploration. The men on the Apollo missions were heroes, and the men on this 13th mission were no less heroes than those who actually made it to the moon. I can't imagine the feelings that these three men must have experienced being trapped in space, so very far from home, but this film really manages to capture the essence of the trip.
Howard made an excellent decision when he chose to simply re-tell the story rather than adding lots of peripheral dramatic storylines (as a lesser director surely would have), he allows the story to speak for itself. The acting is so understated and controlled that it is often hard to notice that we are dealing with actors and not the actual event itself.

The special effects are also unnoticeable, which means great. There was never a moment in the film when I felt as though I was watching a movie, but instead I always felt like I was experiencing something.

Apollo 13 is truly a film that any lover of the medium must see, any future director must watch and anyone who dreams of space travel and exploration will truly enjoy. A seriously amazing movie.