Iconic...But Not Much Else

Rating: 6/10 (3 June 2016)

From beginning to end, I wasn't particularly invested. While I do appreciate the technical accuracy (which makes up the majority of the dialogue), it certainly got redundant after an hour or so. From start to finish, "Apollo 13" is essentially a collection of set-up and pay-off; (1) we start in the capsule with the Apollo 13 crew and they run into a technical problem (2) we cut to Mission Control working on a procedure (3) meanwhile in the Lovell home (4) back to the capsule and how the astronauts are coping (5) Mission Control solves the problem (6) Apollo 13 works it out. And so it's essentially this repetitive chain of events, capturing the exhausting 5-day redundancy of the historical incident. Tom Hanks steals the show in one of his most iconic performances. The score by James Horner (R.I.P.) is terribly dated and at times too sentimental, but one of my favorite tracks captures the vastness and mystique of space. I was surprised at how well the special effects have held up. Props to Ron Howard and the effects department.