Apollo 18

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!

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.

I went to a private screening, not expecting much. It was one of those "found footage" films like the Blair witch project and Paranormal Activity.

I was expecting to be bored, but honestly after each passing minute in the film, it just got even more terrifying. Let me just tell you, this movie isn't just jump scenes, it's about the tension, and it delivers very effective shock and fright in some parts. It gets to the point where you are happy you're on earth. (Even though it's obviously fake).

I am very impressed with this film, I will rank it in my top 10 films of all time. And I'm not much of a horror movie goer. I recommend it.

10/10

This movie (is made to) look like a montage of retrieved tapes from the camera's brought to the moon in 1972. This means that the camera isn't always steady (like in Cloverfield) and that the quality is a bit bad with static sometimes but it is made to look that way. I think it only help's in getting into the old feeling of the movie.

The first part of the movie looks pretty much like a documentary about going to the moon, but hey, what would you expect. I thought it actually was a bit educating. After that some unexpected things (for the astronauts) start to happen and then the weird things begin. The camera quality and way of filming really helps in feeling the fear of the astronauts.

I read somewhere the last 10 minutes of this movie would be really shocking. Well this actually started the last 15 minutes of the film, with in the beginning the scene's of terror really build op good, then it dies out (probably because I don't thought of the inhumane but necessary message the astronauts get as really shocking, it just seemed logic to me:) ) and then the last 8 minutes the terror gets back but unlike in the beginning of the last 15 minutes, now the scene's last a bit to long, but they are still very nice and frightening.

Overall: a bit weird but nice movie, although i think you must be into the "going to the moon in the 70's" theme to really like it.(like I did)