This movie had potential. It's a simple disaster movie premise with some surprises up its sleeves and some solid actors to boot. Unfortunately the writing just wasn't there. Once the "moonfall" begins, almost every major plot point feels forced and nonsensical. There's a timing disconnect, with the escalation in disaster level happening in a way that feels like things are on fast forward (i.e. Patrick Wilson shows up at a hotel for a meeting with the conspiracy theorist, and suddenly the hotel is being flooded). The movie also tries to get a lot of mileage out of the lower gravity caused by the moon getting closer, but it's a trick that gets old after the second or third time it's used. Perhaps the most egregious contrivance in the writing was in the moments leading up to the shuttle takeoff. In a matter of minutes, (1) the mission is cancelled due to an engine failure; (2) everyone is sent home; (3) the aforementioned lower gravity saves the day and the mission is back on; and (4) all of the main characters get to go on the trip because the qualified folks were conveniently sent home. It's almost laughable. On top of all of this, the conclusion rests on a clunky exposition dump to introduce an even clunkier deus ex machina. Also... there's a lot of questionable CGI.
Review by SkinnyFilmBuffVIP 8BlockedParent2022-05-16T01:36:20Z
This movie had potential. It's a simple disaster movie premise with some surprises up its sleeves and some solid actors to boot. Unfortunately the writing just wasn't there. Once the "moonfall" begins, almost every major plot point feels forced and nonsensical. There's a timing disconnect, with the escalation in disaster level happening in a way that feels like things are on fast forward (i.e. Patrick Wilson shows up at a hotel for a meeting with the conspiracy theorist, and suddenly the hotel is being flooded). The movie also tries to get a lot of mileage out of the lower gravity caused by the moon getting closer, but it's a trick that gets old after the second or third time it's used. Perhaps the most egregious contrivance in the writing was in the moments leading up to the shuttle takeoff. In a matter of minutes, (1) the mission is cancelled due to an engine failure; (2) everyone is sent home; (3) the aforementioned lower gravity saves the day and the mission is back on; and (4) all of the main characters get to go on the trip because the qualified folks were conveniently sent home. It's almost laughable. On top of all of this, the conclusion rests on a clunky exposition dump to introduce an even clunkier deus ex machina. Also... there's a lot of questionable CGI.