Missed Opportunities Abound in this Sci-Fi Creature Feature Set in Space
Apollo 18 takes viewers on an intense space mission fraught with mystery and danger With a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score, its chilling ending will leave you on the edge of your seat
Horror movies excel at following trends compared to other genres. Action cinema classics like Die Hard or John Wick tend to overshadow and diminish the impact of imitations. However, in the realm of horror, the success of a single movie can completely redefine the genre. Found footage films gained recognition in the 80s and 90s, but the tremendous success of Paranormal Activity propelled this trend to dominate the 2010s. Apollo 18 attempts to replicate this concept by exploring a canceled lunar mission, but falls short of the implied excitement.
Space horror appears to possess an impeccable formula. Beyond the Earth's atmosphere, everything poses a lethal risk to humans. Even the smallest error could result in mission failure, and the uncharted void holds countless potential threats. The equipment required for surviving in space creates an inherent uneasiness. Current space travel involves extensive downtime, which most movies conveniently omit. However, in Apollo 18, astronauts are boldly portrayed floating aimlessly or reacting to mysterious sounds for a significant portion of its 86-minute duration.
What is Apollo 18 about?
In 1972, NASA concluded the Apollo 17 mission, marking the most recent instance of humans walking on the Moon. NASA had plans for future expeditions, but due to the problematic Apollo 13 launch and several budget cuts, Apollo 18 and 19 were abandoned. Apollo 18 delves into the concept of the Department of Defense classifying the named mission. In December 1974, Commander Nathan Walker, Lieutenant Colonel John Grey, and Captain Ben Anderson embark on a clandestine launch to avoid detection. Their objective, far removed from the scientific exploration of previous Apollo missions, is to place a device on the Moon to serve as an early warning system for nuclear strikes from Russia. As Ben and Nathan touch down on the lunar surface, their onboard camera captures an eerie movement of a Moon rock.
The crew faces unsettling sounds and frequent vibrations that plague them. After their initial moonwalk, their collected samples mysteriously escape their containment. The sounds entice Nathan and Ben to venture back onto the surface, where they discover bloodstained footprints leading them to an abandoned Soviet lunar module. Within, they encounter the remains of deceased cosmonauts and scattered parts of EVA suits scattered about. When Walker communicates the situation to Houston, they instruct him to continue with the mission. As night falls, the disturbances worsen. The astronauts prepare for departure, but are unable to launch due to incessant disruptions. Their flag is torn to shreds, and they come across unusual footprints on the lunar landscape. Nathan experiences panic as an alien creature infiltrates his space suit, crawling across the inside of his helmet. Ben discovers a wound on his chest that contains a Moon rock. They soon realize that the ICBM warning device's purpose is to monitor extraterrestrial spider-like creatures capable of camouflaging themselves as Moon rocks. Walker succumbs to the infection, progressively becoming more unstable and paranoid as the problem spreads. John and Ben are left alone on the Moon, battling for their survival as they strive to escape and return home.
What is Apollo 18’s Rotten Tomatoes score?
Apollo 18 received a disappointing 24% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average critic rating of four out of ten. Surprisingly, audiences were aligned with the critics, giving the film a 23% approval rating. It is clear that there is no divide between the two demographics. Critics often point out that Apollo 18 shamelessly borrows elements from several other movies. While Paranormal Activity is the most obvious inspiration, Apollo 18 is not the most soulless attempt to imitate the found footage sleeper hit. The change in setting and presentation helps to give Apollo 18 a slightly distinct appeal that attracts viewers. However, the film's unforgivable flaw is its astonishingly dull nature. As David Edelstein from Vulture aptly put it, "It's 80 minutes of dead air." Despite the intriguing concept of Moon rock spiders, which could have carried the film, the majority of Apollo 18 is spent tediously observing poorly recreated 70s space equipment. One would think that creating engaging characters would solve this problem, but the majority of found footage movies fail to achieve that. Apollo 18 manages to be excessively long, despite having a runtime of under 90 minutes, which is quite an unfortunate accomplishment.
How does Apollo 18 end?
As the infection takes hold of Nathan, his behavior becomes increasingly violent. In his deteriorating state, he hinders Ben's attempts to help him, resulting in catastrophic failures. With their lander destroyed, they are left with no choice but to utilize the Soviet equipment. Ben desperately tries to reach out to John for help, but Nathan's interference prevents him from doing so. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense informs John about Nathan and Ben being infected. To their disbelief, the Moon rock samples they had collected turn against Ben, confirming the accuracy of the DOD's information. Struggling to regain control, Ben collides the Soviet lander with John's, tragically causing the demise of both men. The epilogue reveals that the DOD intentionally fabricated the incidents to evade any inquiries, leaving behind a hint of mystery surrounding the numerous missing Moon rock samples on Earth, teasing the potential invasion of Moon spiders.
The potential for Apollo 18 to be an exceptional short film is unfortunately not realized in its current form. It lacks the captivating elements necessary to keep audiences engaged. It's disheartening to witness such an exciting concept, with Moon rock-like spiders killing astronauts from the 70s, devolve into a mundane, follow-the-trend waste of time. This film can serve as a valuable lesson for future horror filmmakers: when faced with 80 minutes of uneventful moments, it is crucial to find ways to fill that void. By incorporating compelling characters, well-crafted writing, and perhaps even a subplot or two, this movie could have been salvaged. If NASA were to watch Apollo 18, they would likely be relieved that their decision to cancel it in the 70s was justified.
