Gagarin - Wettlauf ins Weltall

This is a well constructed biopic. The narrative style is very evocative and non-linear, making a very compelling story. The portrayal of the pilots and engineers align to those in real life.

It also communicates the difficulties, technical challenges and personal rivalries of the space programmes. With space travel being part of life for so many years, it is easy to forget how little anyone knew about the affects of space on people. Even now there is much to learn.

The film also captures the competition between the Soviet Union and the United States, and how achievements in space were such a source of national pride.

The scenes are well framed and shot, the direction is tight and the acting is well done. There are a few cheesy moments, which provided comic relief.

Overall, this is an intelligent film about an engaging person, and should be of interest to anyone interested in the space race or space travel today.

What I like most about this movie is its relative neutrality. Of course, there was that historical, almost 'light the world up' tension between the two superpowers back then, but this one, however, menages to be almost solely Russian. It does not blame either part of the equation. It is Russian because of its characters, who are developed well throughout the movie. What baffles me that, in the same year, Gravity won everything, but this movie wasn't even mentioned. I think, Gravity will soon be forgotten, but this one, about Gagarin, will linger for a long time.

The move into space is one of mankind's greatest achievements in the 20th century and this biopic is a worthy addition to the more commonly found fare us in the west are exposed to.

In a way this could be seen as the Russian equivalent of the excellent 1983 Hollywood film 'The Right Stuff'. It celebrates the putting of the first man into space, Yuri Gagarin of course. The film is told in a way that details his famous flight in 1961 with flashbacks to key points in his life, his childhood, his romance with his soon to be wife, his joining the Soviet Air Force and the trials and tribulations of the journey that resulted in him eventually making history.

As the film is less than two hours long it does have a feel of a carefully put together and slightly hurried celebration of an authentic Soviet hero. Gagarin is made out to be the nicest man in the world who was a model poster boy for the Soviets, and it does gloss over his life and stops conveniently before his faults as a human being (particularly his later alcoholism) became apparent. However that is my only grumble because this is a meticulously well done film with top rate effects and beautifully filmed. Yes it has a certain propaganda value (as do a great many American films on similar lines) that a cynic might try and pull apart. The re-enactments of the Soviet people celebrating his achievement do have a slight cheese factor when viewed from a modern perspective, but these are minor criticisms as the film is not intended to be a warts and all look at Major Gagarin's life, but a celebration of what he achieved and the fearlessness of a man who knew that to make history he had to knowingly take risks, with a brief explanation at the end of his life beyond his famous flight and his tragic death at the age of just 34.

This film is another cinematic masterpiece in the history of spaceflight. I'm no film expert, but as an American engineer with a love for spaceflight history, I found this to be a very good film in all respects. Technical, drama, realism...all were good in many respects. The Russian cinematic effort and acting that went into this movie is 1st class. As an English speaker with only limited Russian language abilities as of this review, I found it very easy to follow the movie.

Bravo to all those involved in bringing this great story to the movie screen. Russia and all the other former Soviet scientists, engineers, cosmonauts, and everyone ever involved with the former Soviet space program have much to be proud of. Congratulations from America.

Is it propaganda? Yes in the same way as The Right Stuff or Apollo 13 are propaganda but this does not detract from the massive technical achievement of the Gagarin's flight.

At that moment the USSR was vastly in advance of US in space technology.

This would change but nothing can change the events of April 1961.

The film is very well made with breathtaking and realistic special effects and fine acting especially by Yaroslav Zhalnin... his Gagarin is intense intelligent and determined.

I imagine he an Neil Armstrong were cut form similar cloth.

Overall this film is a fine drama not afraid to discuss the political games in play.

Worth a view especially for anyone interested in space and as a antidote to the endless mindless CGI fueled science fiction we see in our cinemas.