Apollo 18

I'd been looking forward to this film for months after seeing a poster for it. The concept of a secret 18th mission to the moon drew me in instantly. After hearing a few mutterings from critics though, I was a little worried it might not be quite the film I wanted it to be. However, after seeing it tonight I'm happy to report that it's just what I expected :)

I'm a fan of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity and this film fits into that genre.

The special effects are brilliant. At no point did I believe they weren't on the moon. Which is daft, but honestly, they were great. The feeling of impending doom and isolation was quite palpable and I tell you this, I can't remember jumping back in my seat so much in ANY film before at certain bits!

All in all a good solid film.

Framed as leaked "found footage" from the era of space exploration in the 1970s, Apollo 18 is an attempt to out conspiracy the already rife conspiracy theories concerning the lunar landings. The trouble with framing something as being documentary style footage is you have to get the science right and be free from any loopholes that might break the audience out of the illusion. Apollo 18 falls short on this count. López-Gallego manages to recreate to a certain extent the lunar missions. Portrayed through the various cameras feeding live footage back to Earth we have a Big Brother style look into the doomed from the start space mission. The two man crew of the lunar lander also film themselves on 16mm cameras. Herein lies some of the flaws in the director's logic. We need to get into the character's perspective to relate. This is solely done through these 16mm cameras. They film themselves on the moon's surface as well as personal records in the module. The rest is all caught on remote cameras, the audience being allowed to see the threat before the crew do, privy to the danger the Department of Defence has exposed them to. The live footage makes sense to have been documented; however the 16mm film rolls do not make it out, they share the crews dire fate. How then are we seeing the actions of the crew amidst this found footage? It makes no sense pulling any reasonably astute watcher beyond the line of suspension of disbelief.

It seems clear López-Gallego wants us to care about the cast. We need to care for the conspiracy theory to resonate. The story very directly harks into the era of Watergate where the powers that be cannot be trusted. But his illusion of found footage does not stand up at all well. Does the story really fail on this account? No. It's actually fairly entertaining as it goes. The tension builds; the threat is revealed and played out. However the conspiracy theme and the documentary framing lend the film no real benefit and do not pay off. While there is reams of data on the films website to build the conspiracy it is not present enough on screen to sideline the notion we are victim to a none to subtle slight of hand.

What the film did do with the early footage was remind me why, as a child, I was so fascinated with space. It shows with sufficient realism what the actual Apollo astronauts did and how we as a planet reached for the stars. This is not history as it tries to suggest, but it is a reminder, to me at least, of how sad it is that we no longer pursue such epic destinations as the moon or beyond.

Intelligently made, this film combines camera-work similar to that used in Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield. Simplistic in its plot, the film really does boast some very frightening, nail-biting scenes. Not for the faint hearted, it also amplifies the smallest and most rational of fears into something chilling and blood-curdlingly frightening, playing on the fear that something is wrong, something is out there.

Although the film has its faults, namely near the end when the viewer is unsure as to which person's camera is being used, this can add to the feel of the film, reflecting the mindset of the equally disorientated characters.

The film could be slightly more emotional than it is, but it is after all a horror.

Leaving you with something to think about at the end gives the film an edge that makes you remember it for a while after.

If you liked Paranormal Activity or Cloverfield, then this film is definitely for you, giving you a good dose of mind-jolting jumps when you least expect them. This film is definitely worth the watch and will have you jumping out of your skin.

OK but not great. The overall concept isn't that original - sort of The Blair Witch Project on the Moon. The plot itself is original, but relatively predictable.

While the direction gives the movie a realistic feel, it can be a bit irritating at times. The jagged, broken photography is jarring on occasion.

Performances are OK.

Today (Sunday, Sept. 4), I was contemplating going to see Apollo 18. But first I read the reviews here. Upon seeing so many negative ones and so few positive ones, I knew I wanted to see it for sure since I liked The Blair Witch Project and both Paranormal Activity movies. That being said, it was just about what I expected and I liked it a lot. It could have been better, but I wasn't disappointed. I thought the cast was very good. So if you liked previous "found or leaked footage" movies such as Blair Witch Project or the Paranormal Activity movies, don't miss this one! If you're not sure, wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it at Redbox for $1. It's worth a lot more than that!