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Movies / In Theaters / Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D
Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D

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Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D (2005)

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Reviews Counted:32

Fresh:28

Rotten:4

Average Rating:7.2/10

Consensus: This inspirational 3D IMAX film approximates for audiences what it is like to set steps on the moon.

Runtime: 40 mins

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

US Box Office: $30,538,366

Synopsis: This 3-D IMAX presentation cuts no corners when it comes to its mission, recreating--down to the most precise detail--the experience of landing on the moon. An educational extravaganza, the unique... This 3-D IMAX presentation cuts no corners when it comes to its mission, recreating--down to the most precise detail--the experience of landing on the moon. An educational extravaganza, the unique film allows viewers, behind their enormous 3-D glasses and comfortably seated in front of an enormous screen, to experience a moonwalk in its closest approximation. The film begins by noting the fascination that the moon has held for people over the centuries, and looking at their fantasies about what they might find there. Proceeding on to the astronauts who made the trip and the years of preparation that made it possible, the film shows what the lunar landings looked like, using sets that recreate the moon's surface with painstaking fidelity. The film provides a brief overview of some of the experiments the astronauts were sent to perform, capturing the gravity of the venture as well as the joy they experienced. As they explore the surface of the moon both by foot and by car, the perspective of the audience becomes that of the astronauts, creating a giddy sensation not unlike the optical illusions the space explorers themselves describe. MAGNIFICENT DESOLATION also posits some hypothetical situations, documenting conspiracy theories that claim the moonwalks never happened and creating a harrowing enactment of an emergency that, thankfully, never took place. The presentation is very kid-friendly but, paired with the spectacular effects, it will appeal to viewers of all ages. In addition to narrator Tom Hanks, who also produced the film, the star-studded cast of voices includes Mathew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Morgan Freeman, Paul Newman, Matt Damon, John Travolta, and Donnie Wahlberg. [More]

Starring: Neil Armstrong, Alan Bean, Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon

Starring: Neil Armstrong, Alan Bean, Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Scott Glenn, Rick Gomez, Matthew McConaughey, Paul Newman, Bill Paxton, Peter Scolari, Gary Sinese, John Travolta, Donnie Wahlberg

Director: Mark Cowen

Director: Mark Cowen
Producer: Mark Cowen
Studio: Imax Corporation

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D

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1 - 20 (sorted by source; Australian critics are listed first)
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Tom Hanks' folksy narration could be intended to bury as much as praise the space program: Apollo missions belonged to an era of American optimism unlikely to be revisited.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/14/05
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Magnificent Desolation is restricted by the fact that it wasn’t actually shot on the moon. The best footage was one giant special effect, and that lessened its impact.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
09/23/05
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

This is a mesmerizing film that serves as a reminder of just how amazing our country's space exploration has been.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment Comment
11/10/07
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat

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

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
09/22/05
Richard Nilsen
Richard Nilsen
Arizona Republic

In a cinematic era in which seemingly any feat or place can be generated for the screen, it's what these men said -- in mundane exchanges and insightful retrospection -- that stirs one most.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
10/29/05
Annlee Ellingson
Annlee Ellingson
Boxoffice Magazine

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 Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
09/22/05
Philip Wuntch
Philip Wuntch
Dallas Morning News

The whole package is as entertaining as it is educational.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
09/23/05
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

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

Full Review Source: Detroit Free Press | comment Comment
09/23/05
John Monaghan
John Monaghan
Detroit Free Press

Aims for the junior stargazer in a release coinciding with NASA's new moon-by-2018 initiative. The movie is unmistakably a pitch, and an honorable one.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
09/21/05
Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Entertainment Weekly

As contrived as its title, Magnificent Desolation has the look and feel of a NASA fundraiser.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
10/10/05
Daniel Eagan
Daniel Eagan
Film Journal International

condensing the moon program into roughly 60 minutes is a pretty impressive feat. Giving you the feeling of actually being part of it is even more impressive

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/28/05
Norm Schrager
Norm Schrager
Filmcritic.com

The film is adoring and respectful to the history of the space program, and earnestly hopeful that what was accomplished before can be expanded on for the future.

Full Review Source: FilmJerk.com | comment Comment
09/22/05
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
FilmJerk.com

Simply take in the sparse, but beautiful, terrain of an entity that's in the sky every night; and one that so many of us only dream of setting foot on.

Full Review Source: FromTheBalcony | comment Comment
09/22/05
Bill Clark
Bill Clark
FromTheBalcony

Overall, the production successfully maneuvers through 2D and 3D nearby-space with a playful spirit of curiosity, experiment and wonder.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
04/27/06
Ross Anthony
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

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, it pulls off the illusion.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
09/23/05
Sheri Linden
Sheri Linden
Hollywood Reporter

The film is fascinating history and unabashedly inspirational.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
09/23/05
Robert W. Butler
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star

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

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
09/22/05
Kevin Crust
Kevin Crust
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The movie's biggest asset is Hanks, who can't hide the excitement in his voice. The mood is contagious.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
09/22/05
Jeff Strickler
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune

Playful, inspirational.

Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
09/23/05
Jami Bernard
Jami Bernard
New York Daily News

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

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
09/23/05
Kyle Smith
Kyle Smith
New York Post
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source; Australian critics are listed first)
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