Apollo 18
User Score
4.7 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 109 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 109
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 109
  3. Negative: 35 out of 109

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  1. Seba
    Sep 2, 2011
    9
    I'm very confused on why this movie gets such low reviews, when Don't be afraid of the dark had a 50 score. This movie was one of the best films i have seen in a long time. The movie isn't crowded with jumpscares and over the top childish-gore, it instead focused on a conspiracy story and it was a really good story too. The only bad thing I can think off is that the so called "aliens" arent really that surprising and there was still some things that I thought they might have forgot to explain. You will know what im talking about when you see it. Seriously though, I feel as if some people have just lost taste in Entertainment.… Collapse
  2. Commando717
    Sep 4, 2011
    10
    I want to say that it wasn't the best movie, like it could have went more in depth with it's characters and what not. But then again you have to consider it's made up of a series of tapes that they apparently got. Giving a real sci fi "what if" feel to it. Sure, rock crabs, that's completely stupid. But why are we thinking aliens are going to be not stupid in some sort of way. They won't be our "normal" or our "advanced". So it was a real release to what normal movies are now a days. For example, I'll watch this movie 20 more times before watching one Paranormal Activity. It was cool, the editing was great, the story was pretty good, and most of all it wasn't a clone of everything currently out there. Thinking outside the box for the win guys.… Expand
  3. Harbinger1911
    Sep 15, 2011
    10
    small rip off of paranormal, but only in camera POV, and paranormal is not the first to do that. original story, original aliens, effective use of pop outs and weird, creepy, isolated feeling all throughout. whats worse than getting attacked by camouflage aliens.. them attacking you on the moon with 0 help. if you can get aside from a bit of un realism then its great. its the movie that makes kids not want to be astronauts anymore.… Expand
  4. man
    Sep 13, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So first off I must say WOW!This film is one of the most impressive things I;ve seen in a while and I think the critics have it all wrong!The first thing I must mention is the way the director and the filmmakers actually wanted people to believe this footage was real.I think this may have fooled some but not very many probably.I should mention I am a HUGE Paranormal Activity fan and I expected this to be a lot like it.I was right.The only difference is this about twice as scary as the first one.There are so many spooks and scares that I believe this film deserves a LOT more recognition for at least the effort.I'm gonna try to go over the main,important points of the film for those who've seen this or for those who don't care about spoilers. So basically the film starts with a few NASA facts telling how Apollo 17 launched in 1972 and was "supposedly"the final mission to the moon before 18,19,and 20 were cancelled.However,another fact was given stating that a website entitled Lunartruth.com contained edited footage from the film(which it didn't.)After this,testimonials are give to the three astronauts going on the secret 18th mission.The character I believe many will have empathy for is Ben(the one with the family)if you watch to the very end.What few people realize is that there were three astronauts(one stayed in orbit the entire film.)After they land,this is where the Paranormal Activity begins.Ben loses his rock sample(turns out there's more than one alien as several are disguised as moon rocks,go figure.)But the thing that gets me is how there must have been an invisible alien as well,because we still see giant,strange tracks and shadows outside the space pod.What I don't get is why these moon rock creatures are very ressemblent to spiders.One is seen inside Nate's suit and we very quickly realize he's infected(obviously meaning he's doomed.)Then of course he becomes paranormally possessed and eventually is dragged into a crater by something we can't even see.Now the ironic thing is earlier in the film,we discover the Russians have been on the moon recently and a Soviet Space Pod is found.The catch is that a Russian body is found in these craters as well as a cracked helmet.We realize near the end this is the whole reason NASA cancelled Apollo 18,19,and 20.So basically NASA and the White House(even the freaking secretary of state knew about this and didn't bother to tell the Russians or America.This is a perfect example of all the corruption we've seen in our government and how bad they've screwed up.So of course after Nate's dragged to his doom,Ben must return to this Soviet space pod that's been trashed inside just as much as the space pod that him and Nate came in.Just when we all have our hopes up for Ben to make it out of there alive,he gets a signal transmission from guess who?Anyway,the secretary of state,being a big voice of America keeps sealed lips in the film and doesn't tell America about what they knew went on on the moon when Apollo 18 landed.This leads up to him telling Ben he has to stay on the moon when him and NASA knew all about the possible infection on the moon.Audiences who had faith in Ben may be dismayed,as he pleads to the secretary to let him come home to his family.The secretary's reply:We'll le them know you died a hero.B.S.!!!HE plays innocent and eventually deactivates the transmission leaving him alone.Meanwhile,Ben gets a nearby transmission from John(the guy in orbit)letting him know he's gonna get him off the moon.Too bad NASA interferes and forces John to stop the space pod in which he prevails.So as Ben's about to take off(GASP!!!!!!!)Nate returns and tries to smash the window open but this is the part that nearly gave me nightmares.Those moon rock spiders start swirling around in his head until we see his entire face explode!!!WTF?!!!Oh well,aside from that,Ben has liftoff.So anyway,John is faced with a choice,listen to NASA,or help Ben escape.While he's defying NASA and pondering over the decision,Nate thinks he's home free all the way up until somehow the moon rocks get inside his space pod and kill him.Things get worse for John too as he collides with the space pod and the filming is immediately cut off.Afterwards,we see descriptions of how the three men died.To cover up the evidence,NASA makes up each of their deaths.Sucks huh!It just comes to show how the government can act even more corrupt in movies than in real life and this film proved it to me spot on.The film itself may have lacked in quality,but over all,it still kicked the first Paranormal Activity an Blair Witch's asses.The spookiest piece of horror I've seen since Paranormal Activity 2.Don't listen to the critics.It has a decent story with more than decent thrill.Everyone should at least give this thrilling film a try!Do it,have fun with it,and long live NASA!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  5. Tkwz
    Jul 30, 2012
    9
    This was a surprisingly good movie, considering the negative reviews. Then again, I'm not a horror fan so I might not know something others know. Still I enjoyed it and I'm rating it accordingly.
  6. Sben69
    Jul 15, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a different kind of horror. It does not rely on gore and cheap jump scares to illicit fright from viewers. It does not use the "omnipresent serial killer/ demon" trope so many movies are content to recycle. Rather, it puts two men in a location that is familiar to them (they are astronauts, after all), then watches as **** hits the fan and they are hunted by beings whose nature is never explained. To make matters worse, the government they have been trusting basically flips them off and refuses to rescue them because they have already fulfilled their purpose. Tension is slowly built up, culminating in a scenario that generates true horror. And found footage isn't a gimmick, it is a genre of film!… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
24 out of 100

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 19 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 19
  3. Negative: 13 out of 19
  1. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Ben Sachs
    Sep 8, 2011
    40
    This isn't at all scary, but the rough images can be weirdly compelling, the movie's conspiratorial jive enhanced by the fact that the lunar surface looks like someone's backyard.
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  2. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Kimberley Jones
    Sep 8, 2011
    50
    The real tension of the piece lies in the sound design, with its layering of heavy breaths, inexplicably compromised frequencies, and invasive thwackings of no known origin to the ship hull.
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  3. Orlando Sentinel
    Reviewed by: Roger Moore
    Sep 7, 2011
    38
    Whatever merits the production values have, the cheap frights don't deliver, the performers bring no pathos and the gimmick behind Apollo 18 flat out does not work.
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