Oh, boy. When NASA issued a publicity statement denying the plot of Apollo 18, they weren’t just setting the record straight, they were divorcing themselves from a movie that is just plain moldy.
How many dreadful retakes of The Andromeda Strain will we have to suffer? At least the original movie contained some semblance of suspense, a terrifying new look at infections from space, even a cool defense system designed to keep the contagion from spreading. Outbreak, and movies like it continue to be made in the hopes that people will put up with yet another disaster/horror flick just long enough to make some money. The hook? Get space junkies to go see the movie by inserting footage that is from the original Apollo missions, mix in new footage that’s been computer-aged, and make it all into one heaping pile of mildew that geek zombie lovers will go to see.
It’s a great shame. On some levels Apollo 18 has redeeming qualities, especially in the acting. There is good chemistry, a feeling of reality, and even that familiar scent that astronauts give off. Unfortunately that isn’t enough to hold a film that has destruction on its mind. Not even space aliens in strange forms can do that for it. Sadly, all the effort put into the cinematography, computer generation, and sound get lost in the poor plot that we can guess from the very beginning.
It’s just possible that Apollo 18 might fare better with a reediting and a few more scenes. They really need to keep the “bad guy” off screen for just a little while longer, and concentrate on the feelings of the crew, especially the astronaut in the NAV capsule. Perhaps a little Russian action would be useful, as well as reactions from the ground crew in Houston. Yes, it’s possible that this film could be a classic, but not without major revisions. Let’s hope that someday someone undertakes them, or this will have been a colossal waste of footage.