I really wanted to like this film more than I did.

Rating: 6/10 (23 January 2019)

The movie nicely portrays the bravery that it takes for astronauts to be strapped into flimsy looking space capsules while sitting atop a controlled explosion.
However, my main complaint is that I wasn't moved to care about any of the main characters in this film. Armstrong is portrayed as being emotionally distant. Why? Was it his upbringing? Was it the pressures associated with his job? What moved him to become an astronaut? Was he a patriot? Was he driven by ego? Was he trying to please his father? Who knows, the movie revealed very little about his character other than his bravery and determination to succeed.
Were the astronauts close to one another? The years spent working and training with fellow astronauts must have resulted in some close bonds of friendship. Again, the film doesn't reveal much in that area either. It's all about the business at hand.
On the positive side, the cinematography was outstanding. The spirit of the 60s was also portrayed well, as Russia and the US engaged in a struggle for dominance in space.