Gagarine: First in Space

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.

the first man in space. the greatness of an idea and the struggles behind it. a form of propaganda. and a film who reminds, for not young public from the East, special moments. it is a correct film, with family scenes, with oasis of humor, preserving the spirit and atmosphere of the period, more credible by American blockbusters about same theme, touching and heroic and not far by clichés. a film about Gagarin. simple and honest, seductive in a not complicated manner, impressive for accuracy and good occasion to remind one of the great moments from the XX century. a film who could be easily criticized. but its beauty is the emotion who translate the events. and silhouette and words of a man who makes history.

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.

than kind of movie who use the life of a man for describe the force of an idea. honest, useful, simple. a film who reminds an event. and recreate a way. without be great, it is perfect choice for discover the roots of a legend.clear, precise, poetic. the images from the Gagarin's past, the choice for mission, the faith and the generosity as ingredients of the entire story, the dialogs and the science for use in right manner the measure are the virtues of movie. and, sure, Yaroslav Zhalnin as Gagarin who maintains the colors for Charming Prince but, in same measure, suggest the heroism as result of a not easy experiences. a good film. a beautiful one. first, for its honest manner to present one of the great moments from the XX century.

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.