Monday, September 16, 2024

I Discuss Apollo 13: Survival

It's a 2024 Netflix documentary. Thankfully, their documentaries tend to be better than their feature films: 

Netflix's documentaries typically are quite a bit better than their fictional movies. I can't say “always” as scrutiny over such efforts as their expose on Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 informs me that it and others of its type are claptrap best left avoided. The series lasting multiple episodes also give me pause; however, a 97-minute piece on the Apollo 13 mission done clinically, filled with archival footage and the only narration is from archival interviews: it gave me confidence. It has to beat even given a minute of my time to Uglies, a picture that sounds like a catastrophe, yet another bad Netflix Original Movie based on a wacky conceit and hilariously to me, directed by McG. I'll pass, thank you very much.

Thankfully, Apollo 13: Survival was what I wanted. While the focus was more on Jim Lovell and his family instead of the other astronauts, otherwise there is little complaint with the simple presentation of this tale. Presumably many know the story from the Ron Howard film (not seen by me since the late 90's) but in case you aren't familiar, spoilers won't be given. The word “survival” does suggest that the mission does not go as planned...

I'm the simple sort who is fine w/ a straightforward documentary that after the opening is presented chronologically and is free from flash aside from some explanatory graphics. Not only are the improbable odds shown, the impact the story had on the entire world was made abundantly clear. As I've seen others mention, this would make quite the double-feature with 2019's Apollo 11. At least some things that Netflix produces is of interest to my esoteric tastes.

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