Take a pinch of Top Gun, stir in a generous dollop of The Right Stuff, add a light sprinkling of Mad Men, and you have the formula for this uplifting documentary portrait of former Apollo astronaut Eugene Cernan. A real-life space cowboy in the Clint Eastwood mould, Cernan’s epic story is a gift to any filmmaker. Recruited by NASA in 1966 despite his lack of qualifications, he logged almost 600 hours in space, 73 of them on the moon. He is the only man to have descended to the lunar surface twice. He also took one of the first space walks and set the speed record for a manned vehicle, hitting 24,791 miles per hour during Apollo 10’s reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
British director Mark Craig is the latest filmmaker to recognise the dramatic potential of America’s space programme and its clean-cut heroes. The Last Man in the Moon includes spectacular CG sequences that recreate Cernan’s space missions in Gravity-style widescreen dimensions. Lorne Balfe’s stirring score also adds to the sense that we are witnessing the last will and testament of an old-school hero.
Stephen Dalton
The Hollywood Reporter
With special guests Mark Craig and Gareth Dodds
Please note that the festival is over 18s only
