It's Fantastic

Rating: 9/10 (17 October 2018)

Breathtaking. That's probably the best way to describe the last third of this film. But it's not just the last third that's good. The entire film is very, very good. With First Man as well as Damian Chazelle's last two films, he's quickly becoming my favourite director and deservedly so.
Let's start by talking about the aforementioned last third. It is one of the most intense experiences I have ever had while watching a movie. Hell, it's one of the most intense experiences I've ever had. Everything from the music to the way it was filmed just puts you right on the edge of your seat. Even though you know what happens, it's just so incredibly well made that you can't help but feel anxious. And without spoiling anything once they land on the moon the change in tone and feeling is just beautiful. And then there is the ending which is, like everything else, just so beautifully made.
Then let's talk about the first two thirds. First Man is certainly more of a biopic of Neil Armstrong than it is a movie about the moon landing. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is up to you but I certainly found it to work very well. Gosling's portrayal of Armstrong is excellent and other performances shine just as brightly. However, it almost feels like the last third is a completely different movie. In fact, everything before it could've been a documentary about Armstrong before he landed on the moon.
I actually find it quite hard to write about this film. It's without a doubt one of the best films of the year and if I wasn't such a big Marvel fan, this would certainly my favourite film of the year so far. I can't think of anything that could've been improved or done differently. I highly, highly recommend seeing First Man even if you don't care about the subject. It really is that good.