Historic. Monumental. Unbelievable.
The 1969 Moon landing has been described in many incredible ways.
The extraordinary moment that occurred on July 16, 1969—culminating in astronaut Neil Armstrong stepping onto the Moon on July 20, marking humanity's first footsteps on the lunar surface—rightfully remains a high point in the world history.
Fifty-five years later, the event still captivates with fascination and disbelief, giving rise to one of the world’s enduring conspiracy theories: that man never truly set foot on the moon.
Somehow, Fly Me to the Moon, Columbia Pictures' latest offering starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, skillfully combines these elements to deliver an engaging rom-com with historical depth.
THE RACE TO SPACE
For starters, it’s important to know that the space missions leading to Apollo 11 were more than just about science and technology.
Rather, the so-called “space race” was, in reality, a political and ideological battle between the United States of America and the Soviet Union during the Cold War period.
Space exploration became a means for both countries to showcase their superiority, with advancements in aerospace machinery symbolizing their capability to develop progressive technology.
Being the first to send humans to the Moon would serve as the decisive blow to end the propaganda duel in the eyes of experts and government leaders.
This is the backdrop in which Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson), a go-getting marketing expert with a knack for deception, finds herself as she is appointed to head the public relations office of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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Kelly is at the behest of Moe Burkus (Woody Harrelson), a scheming government agent whose job is to guarantee the success of the Apollo 11 mission.
Right off the bat, Kelly devises strategies to market Apollo 11 and NASA like consumer products, wooing brands for deals in exchange for endorsements, generating buzz about the mission through media coverage across various platforms, and courting politicians to secure support and funding.
Kelly's strategy prioritizes grabbing attention and gaining approval for NASA and its ambitious mission, sometimes at the expense of truth.
This no-nonsense approach causes friction between her and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum), the principled yet publicity-shy project director of Apollo 11, who opposes Kelly's tendency to fabricate stories to create compelling marketing narratives.
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The conflict intensifies when Moe convinces Kelly to oversee a scheme called "Project Artemis," which involves staging a Moon landing on film. The plan is to broadcast it publicly to shield America from potential embarrassment if the actual mission fails.
After all, few things could be more dramatic and impactful than broadcasting images of astronauts stepping foot on the Moon for a national audience, including their Soviet rivals.
While Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin carry a camera to document their space exploits, Moe's agenda is to have a contingency plan ready to guarantee that the mission receives airtime under any circumstances.
Kelly now faces the dilemma of participating in a monumental deception, risking her budding romance with Cole, or ensuring that the US appears victorious in the space race, regardless of the ethical or personal cost.
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CONSPIRACY THEORY MEETS ROM-COM
The impressive thing about Fly Me to the Moon is how it expertly merges fiction with historical events, achieving a storytelling triumph that transcends the usual rom-com fare.
Individually, Scarlett and Channing deliver charismatic performances, each bringing their characters to life with convincing portrayals.
Together, their onscreen chemistry is palpable, dishing out the romance without resorting to cringe-worthy, over-the-top gestures that typically aim to make audiences swoon.
However, the film isn't solely about Scarlett and Channing. The rest of the cast also shines, particularly Woody Harrelson and Jim Rash, contributing to the movie's brilliance.
The movie's captivating backdrop creates an unpredictable narrative flow and depth, immersing viewers so thoroughly that the romance element, though seemingly an afterthought, achieves great results.
Fly Me to the Moon not only entertains but also educates, highlighting the enormous significance of the decades-old lunar landing while cleverly exploring the conspiracy theory that emerged in its aftermath.
History enthusiasts, conspiracy theory aficionados, and hopeless romantics alike will undoubtedly find the movie enjoyable.
This could indeed be a formula, a blueprint worth exploring within the rom-com genre.
Fly Me to the Moon is now showing in Philippine cinemas nationwide.