Metascore
84 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 34 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 34
  2. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. 100
    These astronauts are still alive, but as long as mankind survives, their journeys will be seen as the turning point -- to what, it is still to be seen.
  2. Quite simply, a revelation.
  3. 100
    By turns awe-inspiring and deeply human.
  4. 100
    It's both irrefutably concrete and irresistibly uplifting.
  5. In the Shadow of the Moon finds new resonance in the moment when America redefined progress -- but also when it heeded the siren song of a world so desolate it reminded you what a paradise ours truly is.
  6. After seeing this film, try reading Norman Mailer's "Of A Fire on the Moon," its perfect companion piece.
  7. The value of this film, not just to moviegoers today but to future generations, is simply enormous.
  8. 90
    May well be the most exciting documentary of the year so far. I guess it took a British director, David Sington, to capture the story of the dozen American men who walked on the moon -- the only human beings in our species history yet to visit another celestial body.
  9. I came out giddy, feeling lighter--by about five-sixths--than I did when I went in.
  10. The riveting documentary In the Shadow of the Moon, is an unexpected knockout.
  11. This magnificent documentary, directed by David Sington and presented by Ron Howard, rises to the occasion by interspersing its interviews with NASA footage that evokes the grandeur of the whole Apollo adventure.
  12. Reviewed by: Joel Achenbach
    90
    Now, finally, we know what it was like to walk on the moon: unbelievably cool. Amazing. Fantastic. Scary.
  13. 89
    The story (even more so if you weren't around in July of 1969) is gripping, eloquent, and powerful stuff, the right stuff right down to its pioneering heart, taking manifest destiny to the stars themselves.
  14. 88
    Seeing the Earth from the point of view these men saw it -- ''like a jewel hung in the blackness'' -- tends to put things in perspective.
  15. 88
    It's a stirring reminder of a time when anything seemed possible - these American heroes boosted morale eroded by the Vietnam War, as well as bringing the whole world together to celebrate their success.
  16. Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    88
    One small documentary for a filmmaker and one giant leap in inspiration for audiences.
  17. 83
    It ends on a random note, making an awkward plea for better ecological stewardship of the Earth, which looked so small and frail to the astronauts regarding it from the moon. But otherwise it's a satisfying and heartening reminder of what a glorious thing a small group of men once contrived to do.
  18. Reviewed by: Gianni Truzzi
    83
    By 2020, when NASA's Orion lunar spacecraft is scheduled to launch, it's unlikely that any Apollo veterans will still be alive. Sington has done us a service in helping preserve their memories.
  19. Reviewed by: Jamie Tipps
    80
    A surprisingly fresh take on familiar material.
  20. Reviewed by: Ross Bennett
    80
    This wonderful documentary succeeds as a reminder of human endeavour.
  21. Reviewed by: Jim Ridley
    80
    In the Shadow of the Moon recalls the wondrous moment when America had the entire world looking up, up, and not away.
  22. In the Shadow of the Moon is such a morale booster. The power of its archival images hasn't diminished with familiarity.
  23. Reviewed by: David Ansen
    80
    As we watch the astonishing NASA footage, they eloquently evoke the optimism, anxiety and excitement of those voyages.
  24. Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    80
    The excitement, majesty and extraordinary human accomplishment of the American lunar program of the '60s and early '70s is rousingly captured in In the Shadow of the Moon.
  25. 80
    Bean, a lovely guy with a touch of Mickey Rooney, is one of the stars of Sington's rousing show. There was something unearthly, in every sense, about the astronauts in their prime.
  26. The astronaut interviews are fun and occasionally moving, but the real reason to see this is the remastered archival footage, some of it previously unseen and all of it spectacular.
  27. 75
    Want to know what the "right stuff" really is? Take a look.
  28. It has the air of an officially sanctioned tribute rather than a probing study, but it's stirring all the same.
  29. And oh, what stories these heroes have to tell - and what incredible sights they brought back with them.
  30. Reviewed by: Leba Hertz
    75
    For those of us too young, this will give you an idea of what it meant to watch those baby steps that led to one giant leap.
  31. Reviewed by: Mark Feeney
    75
    It's so simple, so obvious - and a revelation.
  32. 75
    There's more to the film than nostalgia; it also offers insight, and that's what makes it worth viewing on the big screen rather than waiting for its Discovery Channel premiere.
  33. Sington's smartest decision was to let 10 of the astronauts speak for themselves. The film juxtaposes their personal stories, both their doubts and machismo, with the titanic achievement of the lunar landings.
  34. 58
    There's none of the poetry of "For All Mankind," just visual support for a meat-and-potatoes recap of events that have already been chewed over plenty.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. JayH.
    8
    Awesome documentary, fascinating from start to finish with excellent interviews. It is very well edited, never sluggish and frequently thought provoking. A wonderful and educational experience. Full Review »
  2. PatriciaB.
    10
    One of the best documentaries I've seen since One Day in September. Of course, the feeling this film leaves you with is completely the opposite of that one - this movie is so uplifting and powerful. Even for someone who wasn't alive at the time when landing on the moon was a miraculous event - this film captures that time, that excitement.... it transports us back to the early days of the space program and moved me to tears of joy! The filmmaking is excellent. The director wisely lets the spectacular images and the succinct storytelling of the astronauts do all the work. A great movie for families. The audience I saw it with applauded several times. Pretty impressive given that we all know how this one ends! Full Review »
  3. KevinC.
    10
    I know it's easy to give out absolutes -- 10 or 0 -- but in this case, just trust me. This film, without narration, isn't a documentary. It captures so much about what makes us Americans, what makes us humans. There's so much nuance here, you're generously rewarded for paying attention, I'm not sure even the Astronauts knew what the filmmakers were putting together. No SFX will ever match the Saturn-V ignition or Buzz Aldrin being the first human to pee on the Moon. It's inspiring, touching and crisp enough to never be boring. Spellbinding. Full Review »