Man on a Mission: Richard Garriott's Road to the Stars

Just saw this last night in Austin. An amazing story that you should watch with your kids. The brief intro on how Richard used his skills to start his own fortune and how he has spent his money on experiences. Knowing that he couldn't become an astronaut because of his eyesight, how he forged the path to private space travel and fulfilled his destiny was really inspiring to see. For a little doc, there is a lot going on here, with great editing (the reentry scene had me on the edge of my seat, though I obviously knew they were going to be fine) and the story about the father and son relationship had me in tears. Really beautiful little movie.

For 50 years all the people that have left the bonds of earth to float in the microgravity of low earth orbit (and the handful that have broken even those bonds and ventured to the moon) have been civil servants. Only recently have private individuals - albeit with colossal amounts of cash - been able to join them. But the fact that they can at all is largely due to the determination of Richard Garriott. But for a few commercial difficulties he would have been the first private individual in space, as it happens he was the sixth. Man on a Mission is the documentary that follows him on the training and through the flight. If you are interested in space exploration and the life of the astronaut, then this is very mush a film not to be missed. Marred only by poor sound in some places (but hey, they couldn't take a full production crew up to the ISS!), it is well structured, inspiring and entertaining. I can't wait for his next mission.

This film brings together all the elements of a great story. Richard Garriott's personal passion for space travel is inspiring. And the guidance from his father and their collaboration together is any parent & child's dream. Then you add re-entry intrigue and insight into the Russian space program... It should have your attention now! It's fascinating look into space travel -- where we've been and where we may go in the future. The filmmakers did a fantastic job telling a fascinating story. I can only imagine what the DVD extras could include! It's a film that parents and kids can enjoy. Plus, it's got the smiliest astronaut ever, Mike Fincke. What an adventure!

Since I share Richard's dream of space travel it was a truly thrilling piece of cinema. I've have the fortune of watching shuttle launches up close, but it was a real treat to get a glimpse of things at Star City in Russia.

Beautifully put together, lovely camera work and a real 'stuff that dreams are made of' story. You can't fail to get swept along by the excitement, and indeed the danger of Richard's mission.

I've heard Richard tell his personal story before, it really is an incredible tale of determination and passion. The only thing that would have improved this film would be a little more about how this journey came about. He speaks eloquently about his childhood and the lengths he went to to follow in his father's footsteps, yet in the film, I felt they rushed over this slightly to get to the unmistakeably awesome footage of him getting ready for the trip itself. I can understand why they did this, but a little more about the personal side of this at the start would have earned it that 10th star from me.

Don't get me wrong, I utterly loved it, would highly recommend it to anyone and it gave me such an excellent taste of what a Soyuz mission would be like that I'll be straight out working out how I can get up there myself!

I was captivated by this movie. There was great attention to detail and accuracy, yet the story never bogged down. A must see film for any age group.

Richard Garriott's many fans in the gaming industry will enjoy the history given here of that career, which started when he was a teen in high school. There are also glimpses inside his unique home which holds memorabilia from his many interests, including his interest in space.

While "Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission" by its very title tells you the main subject matter, the movie also give a fascinating look into the history of space travel. His father, Owen Garriott's, career as an astronaut is discussed, as well as the Russian history of space exploration, yet the facts were never dry or boring.

Kudos to the director and editor for a fascinating movie, but most of all, thank you to Richard for sharing this incredible journey with us.