First Man

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Fifty T @RT01421419 2 days ago A Watchable but Uninspired Take on a Legendary Life First Man had all the ingredients for something extraordinary: a powerful life story, themes of grief and sacrifice, and the historic journey to the Moon. But despite its strong foundation, the film ultimately feels underwhelming. Ryan Gosling delivers a solid but not outstanding performance as Neil Armstrong, capturing his quiet intensity but failing to fully convey the drive and passion that defined the man. The film's exploration of grief, sacrifice, and the cost of ambition is its strongest suit, offering a poignant look at the personal toll of Armstrong's journey. The pacing drags, and the screenplay and direction fail to tap into the emotional depth and urgency of Armstrong's story. I often found myself bored, wishing the film had dug deeper into its subject's inner fire. It's watchable, but far from the stupendous, Oscar-worthy experience it could have been. 6/10:a decent movie, but not a Best Picture contender. See more

L J @Cracky Sep 5, 2026 Great movie! Cool how it takes you through the emotions and history. See more

Chris S @Janomi Aug 30, 2026 Damien Chazelle makes space travel feel dangerous, cramped, loud, and physically terrifying. The cockpits shake, metal groans, alarms scream, and every launch feels like men being strapped into a machine that might tear itself apart. That approach strips away some of the usual romanticism and makes the achievement feel more fragile and human. Ryan Gosling's performance as Neil Armstrong is the best thing about the film. He portrays him as controlled, grieving, focused, and emotionally sealed off. The death of Armstrong’s daughter hangs over the entire film, tying the mission to memory, grief, discipline, and emotional restraint. The capsule scenes are intense, and the moon landing is beautifully handled. After so much noise and chaos, the quiet of the lunar surface feels almost spiritual. This reminds me of the way Chazelle balanced the noise of the drums and the calm of grief in Whiplash. Claire Foy has strong moments, but her accent is distracting every time she is on screen. See more

Colin B @RT19830193 Aug 18, 2026 Incredibly dull. Only the ending was enjoyable. Both the director and Ryan Gosling are very talented, but this was a huge miss. I love the space program, I know Neil was very quiet and kept to himself, but this will put the audience to sleep. See more

Johannes S @johnny_cecotto_15 Aug 18, 2026 Starts off slow, but gives more insight into the life of Neil Armstrong and what he dealt with. Then the third act fully delivers, couldn't take my eyes off the screen. See more

Peter J @RT56025137 Jul 20, 2026 Neil Armstrong was an amazing man. The movie does a great job of highlighting Armstrong's biography "First Man". One big issue with the movie is the director including Gil Scot-Heron's poem. The poem was totally out of place, it would have ruined the movie but it is more important to focus on Armstrong's achievements along with the thousands of people, of ALL races, who contributed to one of the greatest accomplishments of all time. See more

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First Man

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