A masterful rendition of Neil Armstrong's journey to the moon and back

Rating: 9/10 (25 October 2018)

I was born in 1970, the year after the Apollo 11 moon landing. As a child I was crazy about astronomy; I spent countless hours reading books about the solar system, outer space and the Saturn V rocket, and wondering what it must have been like to fly to the moon. This film answers that question perfectly.
First Man is the story of a huge technical feat, but it is first and foremost a human drama. There is the private drama of Neil Armstrong's own family tragedy, the drama of lives lost and obstacles overcome in the years that preceded Apollo 11, and finally, the monumental drama of the mission itself. All of this is depicted with great sensitivity, artistry and humanity. And as the Apollo 11 flight lifts off, you're there in the cockpit with Armstrong and his two copilots; you experience not only the exhilaration of their achievement but also the fear that must surely have been their constant companion.
For me, this film is a masterpiece. I honestly can't imagine the story of Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 mission being told better.