Fly Me To The Moon – Review

Hollywood’s fascination with the Space Race (1955 – 1975), and the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969 seems as boundless as the cosmos itself. We’ve witnessed the steely determination of Ryan Gosling’s Neil Armstrong in First Man (2018), relived the heart-pounding suspense of the actual mission in 2019’s documentary film Apollo 11, and even delved into the untold stories of the brilliant women behind it all in the acclaimed Hidden Figures (2016). So, what could possibly be left to explore?

Director Greg Berlanti’s Fly Me to the Moon attempts to answer this with a curious blend of genres, pitching itself as a space romantic comedy (rom-com) that dares to reimagine historical events with a liberal dash of modern satire. Berlanti, of Love, Simon (2018) and television’s Arrowverse fame, ropes in Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow, Lucy) as Kelly Jones, a sharp-witted New York City advertising executive recruited to polish NASA’s public image amidst the fervour of the Space Race that the Russians seem to be winning. From winning over politicians and the public, to NASA’s engineers and scientists, the premise promises a refreshing take amidst the traditional Space Race narratives, but it unfortunately spirals into a convoluted plot that blends rom-com, historical drama, and conspiracy thriller into a messy concoction. 

The result is an exhausting 132-minute runtime about a fictionalised Apollo 11 mission that’s about as enjoyable as a never-ending spacewalk without a suit. 

At the heart of this chaotic narrative is the enemies-to-lovers relationship between Johansson’s Kelly and Channing Tatum’s (Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street) Cole Davis, who deliver a classic ‘meet-cute’ at a diner only to discover they are new colleagues at NASA. Unlike the typical rom-com dynamic, Cole is portrayed not as a stubborn chauvinist but as a pragmatic launch director whose straightforward nature clashes with Kelly’s aggressive public relations (PR) tactics aimed at reinvigorating public interest in space travel. Their professional tension lays the groundwork for an emerging chemistry, but the film struggles to maintain a consistent tone in their relationship, veering wildly between light-hearted romance and serious commentary.

This tonal inconsistency is further exacerbated by a scene delving into Cole’s backstory, filled with thwarted astronaut dreams and his lingering guilt over the tragic Apollo 1 fire. This aims to add layers to his character, but instead muddies the comedic elements with a weightiness and exposition that feels out of place. Tatum, known for his charm in roles from Step Up (2006) to Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023), appears constrained here, unable to fully engage with the film’s lighter or more romantic moments. 

Johansson fares better, wither her natural mischievous charisma and charm shining through as she embodies a cunning marketing specialist who injects some much-needed energy into the film. Yet, the mismatched energy between her and Tatum is palpable; she is vibrant and daring, whereas he is reserved and cautious, resulting in a romantic dynamic that feels forced and uneven. One can’t help but wonder if the originally-cast Chris Evans, with his established rapport and friendship with Johansson over the years, might have ignited a more believable spark. After all, we have seen the actors’ undeniable chemistry before, in The Nanny Diaries (2007) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).

After establishing a romance between Kelly and Cole, the second act of Fly Me to the Moon swings into a bewildering thriller about staging a faux moon landing, a pivot that turns the narrative into a haphazardly assembled hodgepodge of genres, including addressing the long-held ludicrous belief that the moon landing was faked, and the footage was filmed on Earth and beamed onto television sets throughout the United States. This drastic shift seems to aim for a satirical commentary on governmental paranoia and media manipulation, with the inclusion of this ludicrous film project, dubbed Project Artemis.

The government enlists commercial director Lance Vespertine – played with a comedic flair by Jim Rash (Community) – to direct a counterfeit moon landing in case the actual mission fails. Rash’s performance provides brief moments of levity, but even his efforts cannot salvage the disjointed narrative that hops from one genre to another without ever settling.

In its final act, the movie crash lands into pure farce. Kelly’s fraught mission to procure a television for the hoax broadcast is thwarted by trivial obstacles, culminating in a disastrously executed fake moon landing that is inadvertently ruined by a stray cat. This climax, meant to be humorous, instead highlights the film’s struggle to find a coherent voice, leaving the audience more perplexed than entertained.

Even the iconic moment of Armstrong’s first step onto the moon feels like a mere afterthought, devoid of the wonder and awe that should accompany such a momentous event. Unlike films like 2018’s First Man, which managed to infuse tension and wonder, Fly Me to the Moon settles for a dull, unimaginative depiction that does nothing to elevate the material. The film’s uninspired cinematography further compounds this issue, failing to capture the grandeur and excitement of the Space Race, despite its hefty budget of over US$100 million.

Ultimately, while Fly Me to the Moon assembles all the components necessary for a hit (stellar cast, enticing settings, high stakes…), the execution falters, leaving a film that reaches for the stars but fails to ascend beyond its tumultuous atmosphere. Berlanti’s venture into this 1960s retro-styled rom-com leaves much to be desired, proving that even the most promising elements can falter without the gravitational pull of a coherent, engaging story.