Houston, we have a problem

Rating: 9/10 (27 May 2005)

The American space program really was something to be proud of. Men putting their lives on the line just for a chance to get out into space, and reach for the stars. It's so unfortunate that nowadays we have far greater resources and sophisticated computers at our disposal, but the idea of space exploration has waned and petered out.
Of course, back in the 60s and 70s nobody could forget the days of the space race. The days when America was in fierce competition with the Russians to put a man on the Moon. And did it in 1969 when Neil Armstrong took those first steps. In the opening scenes of Apollo 13, we get to see that happen, and the reactions of the astronauts on Earth is priceless. Their amazement and envy is clear.
After the success of the Apollo 11 mission, NASA continued to send men to the Moon, but by the time the mission for Apollo 13 dawned, the public's enthusiasm for the space program was all but gone.
That all changed when one of the oxygen tanks aboard the command module exploded, putting our three astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) in mortal danger. Then the public took a very real interest. People can be so hypocritical can't they?! Anyway, with a Moon landing now completely out of the question, our heroes had to put every resource they had into finding different ways to get home safely.
Ron Howard doesn't always succeed with his more serious motion pictures. Sometimes they're downright dull and plodding, but he gets Apollo 13 very right. You can tell he's put a lot of work and effort into trying to recreate the mission right down to the finest detail. In fact, if you watch the 1989 documentary "For All Mankind" which is an account of this mission, there are almost uncanny similarities between the two. It's as if Ron Howard was present during those events, and captured the whole thing on camera.
In fact, Ron Howard's film almost has the look of a documentary. What with the tight camera angles to heighten the sense of claustrophobia and tension, as well as panning around quickly to capture the different conversations at Mission Control. I always notice minute details every time I watch Apollo 13.
The film can never quite shake the "all-American" feel to it's characters and events. In fact, if it weren't based on a true story, it might seem so ridiculous it could be attributed to American propaganda. But what really holds the film together is the film's solid storytelling, and some fine performances from the cast.
Tom Hanks makes for a very effective choice as Jim Lovell. The way he tries to keep up the spirits of his crew while trying to mastermind the success of getting back to Earth is tremendously entertaining. His best scene is when they are going past the Moon, and can't land on it. Haise and Swigert are by the windows craning to get a good look, but Jim prefers to use his imagination. His sadness is profound and moving.
Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon also put in some stellar support, especially the scene where they start arguing with each other about whose fault it is why the oxygen tank exploded. You could sometimes cut the tension of those scenes with a knife.
Back on Earth, we have Gary Sinise as Ken Mattingly, Ed Harris as Gene Kranz, and Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell. Ken has to work around the clock putting together a procedure that will enable the space shuttle to reenter the Earth's atmosphere. Of course he does in the end, but it's still gratifying to see him put it together.
Ed Harris is almost pitch perfect as Gene Kranz. He is like him in so many ways. They even look similar. Although some of his lines of dialogue are very "all American", he is still very rousing as the head of Mission Control.
Kathleen Quinlan is a talented actress to be sure, but she doesn't get a great deal to do in this film. All she can do is watch and wait for her husband's shuttle to return home. She still gives it all she's got, and it would be hard to imagine the film without her.
Some of the methods the astronauts improvise to get home are truly remarkable at times. Putting together a new filter is very nerve-wracking, making course corrections, restoring systems are all edgily worked into the narrative, and with the tight camera angles we really feel like we're right in the thick of it with them.
Although we can't inevitably escape the fact that we already know the outcome, it is still a very rousing experience. When I saw the capsule parachute to safety in the cinemas, I almost cheered along with the people in the film.
Definitely my favourite film from Ron Howard, and Tom Hank's epilogue really helps put things into perspective. Although people have been to the Moon and back, that doesn't mean we should interpret that as "been there, done that."