There is NO issue with the U.S. flag!

Rating: 7/10 (16 October 2018)

My pedigree in the "NASA Universe" requires me to see this movie.
Watching it on IMAX was a mistake. The huge screen and the movie full of close-ups is a bad combo. I barely survived it.
As a teenager in 1969 I was a volunteer at a science museum in Florida. Our rocket nerd circle got regular trips to the Cape for launches, some lucky ones even got press credentials. Needless to say, we were, and still are rocket nerds.
This film does a nice job telling the story of Neil Armstrong. His story would not have been noticed in an Apollo 13 style production. His story is small compared to the space program and the monster-sized flame throwing rockets. This film is about the man not the mission, perhaps a gutsy move by the director.
NASA selected Neil Armstrong to be first man on the moon because of his modest and meticulous style. There were few modest personalities in the astronaut corps. The last thing NASA needed was blow-hard "First Man" on The Tonight Show. Neil was known for being a man of few words but, when he did speak he would say exactly the perfect words at exactly the perfect time. The movie over-did the quiet Neil a bit, which added about 5 minutes to the film. It's too bad because when Neil spoke in public the "Hero First Man" came out. This contrast would have been powerful in the movie.
First Man mostly uses realistic in-camera effects techniques, as opposed to computer 3D models and green screen. Combining fresh new sound effects and extreme closeups these flight scenes are breathtaking.
For the propeller heads, great cockpit stuff, launch stuff and I really liked the X-15 sequence.
I'm glad I saw it. I did learn something about Armstrong and that's good!