"Apollo 18" is a typical case of movie that promises more than it then delivers. I will also add that its trailer was the main reason I watched this. The trailer I watched suggested a film full of mystery and shocking revelations; instead, I got a lame, cliché-packed movie with very little to salvage.
The narration is based on an already well-known narrative technique: the old footage found through not explained means, from a source (NASA, in this case) that apparently kept it a secret or, at least, would rather not have it publicized. The footage allegedly explains the fate of the secret mission to the moon called Apollo 18, and why it was the last expedition to the moon. This is, undoubtedly, a very tempting and promising layout.
There actually isn't so much new, or interesting about the story. It is an entertaining and okay film, but nothing more than that; its suspense and not-too-horrible-horror climax come in a bit too early, and from that moment on it's all downhill. If you've seen sci-fi movies about space expeditions, then this movie will probably remind you of this and that famous film more than once.
On the other hand, I found this movie technically well-made, and it provides some beautiful and quite creepy scenes -for example, when an astronaut is exploring a lunar crater. I also enjoyed the claustrophobic feeling that it reproduced and conveyed, with two astronauts living in the crammed lunar capsule, with barely no room to sleep comfortably, deprived of even the pleasure of having something tasty to eat, and as far away as one can possibly be from their home and loved ones. That's the strongest point of the movie, in my opinion -but it isn't exploited enough.
My score is 4/10.
The narration is based on an already well-known narrative technique: the old footage found through not explained means, from a source (NASA, in this case) that apparently kept it a secret or, at least, would rather not have it publicized. The footage allegedly explains the fate of the secret mission to the moon called Apollo 18, and why it was the last expedition to the moon. This is, undoubtedly, a very tempting and promising layout.
There actually isn't so much new, or interesting about the story. It is an entertaining and okay film, but nothing more than that; its suspense and not-too-horrible-horror climax come in a bit too early, and from that moment on it's all downhill. If you've seen sci-fi movies about space expeditions, then this movie will probably remind you of this and that famous film more than once.
On the other hand, I found this movie technically well-made, and it provides some beautiful and quite creepy scenes -for example, when an astronaut is exploring a lunar crater. I also enjoyed the claustrophobic feeling that it reproduced and conveyed, with two astronauts living in the crammed lunar capsule, with barely no room to sleep comfortably, deprived of even the pleasure of having something tasty to eat, and as far away as one can possibly be from their home and loved ones. That's the strongest point of the movie, in my opinion -but it isn't exploited enough.
My score is 4/10.