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Kevin Pollak, Peter Scolari, John Corbett, Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon ... see more see more... , Scott Glenn , Bill Paxton , John Travolta , Rita Wilson , Morgan Freeman , Tom Hanks , Tim Matheson , Paul Newman , Gary Sinise , Matthew McConaughey , Frank John Hughes , Donnie Wahlberg , Barry Pepper , Rick Gomez , Aaron White , Andrew Husmann , Brandy Blackledge

Twelve men who belong to one of the world's most exclusive fraternities -- people who've walked on the surface of the moon -- are paid homage in this documentary. Using newsreel footage, rare NASA pho... read more read more...tographs, and digitally animated re-creations, Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon examines the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972 which put astronauts on the moon. In addition to explaining the technological know-how necessary to take our fliers to the moon, the film shares the thoughts of astronauts about what they saw and experienced in space, taken from their speeches and writings and read by a cast of distinguished actors, including Paul Newman, Morgan Freeman, Scott Glenn, Bill Paxton, and many more. Narrated by Tom Hanks (who also co-produced), Magnificent Desolation was shot and originally exhibited using the IMAX high-definition film format. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

71% liked it

1,680 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

32 critics

G, 40 min.

Directed by: Mark Cowen

Release Date: September 23, 2005

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DVD Release Date: November 6, 2007

Stats: 86 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (86)


  • August 23, 2010
    Caught this on a recent trip to the Kennedy Space Center, so there's nothing like being there to enhance your experience! This IMAX documentary is one of a series of excellent films made about one of humankind's great adventures: The moon missions. It takes you from the origins t... read morehrough a lot of footage from the later missions that you may not have seen, and supplements the real footage with technically excellent simulations and re-enactments. Like its close cousin, From the Earth To The Moon series, its an inspirational and sometimes harrowing tale of the journey to our nearest neighbor. It's calculated to inspire, and it does. The sheer magnitude of what was accomplished is still pretty staggering. If you watch this and are not moved by the experience, then you either never saw any of the space program coverage over the last 40 years, or you just aren't awake. The kids in the film can't name the astronauts that did it, but it still captures their imagination and that nothing is impossible.

    Great narration, photography, and science fact.

    Recommended
  • July 26, 2009
    Amazingly made, superbly edited and it is always fascinating. Interesting scenarios, great narration. Excellent.
  • December 18, 2007
    tom hanks wanted to be an astronaut more than anything, but he wasn't very good at math, so he decided to become an actor instead. at least he got to pretend a couple of times.

Critic Reviews


Joe Leydon
October 6, 2005
Joe Leydon, Variety

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon is an earnest but insubstantial Imax 3-D spectacle that, even at 40 minutes, seems unduly padded. Full Review

Anita Gates
September 23, 2005
Anita Gates, New York Times

The illusion is impressive but incomplete, and therefore mildly disappointing. But I cannot deny having felt a little nervous when 'we' were standing too close to the edge at the Grand Canyon-like Had... Full Review

David Hiltbrand
September 23, 2005
David Hiltbrand, Philadelphia Inquirer

One of the astronauts describes his excitement during the lunar mission as 'like a kid playing in a sandbox.' Unfortunately, that could also sum up the film's visual content.

Kyle Smith
September 23, 2005
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Adults will be more than passably entertained by this short, patriotic feature, and kids will be entranced.

Jami Bernard
September 23, 2005
Jami Bernard, New York Daily News

Playful, inspirational. Full Review

Sheri Linden
September 23, 2005
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D promises to put viewers on the lunar surface, and through previously unreleased photos and footage from NASA's archives, along with CGI and re-enactments...

John Monaghan
September 23, 2005
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

It cleverly re-creates what it must have felt like to walk in the astronauts' weighted boots.

Philip Wuntch
September 22, 2005
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News

The movie's most significant triumph is in refreshing our awareness of the courage and sacrifice of all the astronauts, both celebrated and unsung. Full Review

Kevin Crust
September 22, 2005
Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times

Hanks still possesses that awestruck enthusiasm of a teenager and there's something admirable about him wanting to pass that on. Full Review

Richard Nilsen
September 22, 2005
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic

When you fail to acknowledge the difference between Hollywood and reality, you have abdicated this responsibility. Full Review

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