Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

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BadNews R 🚀 Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood (2022) – Review This animated Netflix film looked like it had the potential to be a fun, family-friendly space adventure. The premise itself is clever and whimsical—NASA accidentally builds a spacecraft too small for an adult astronaut, so they decide to recruit a child who just so happens to be a three-time winner of the Presidential Physical Fitness Award. On paper, that setup sounds like the beginning of a lighthearted, creative story that kids and adults alike could enjoy. And in some ways, the movie delivers. The animation is unique—it doesn’t feel like standard animation but more of a stylized, rotoscope-inspired presentation that captures both imagination and nostalgia. There are definitely moments of charm and creativity sprinkled throughout. Jack Black provides the narration, and while he does a solid job, it felt slightly off to me. Known mostly for his energetic comedic roles, hearing his voice in such a serious, reflective tone was a bit jarring. Not bad, just unexpected, and maybe not the best fit for the story’s atmosphere. On the other hand, Josh Wiggins as Steve does a great job grounding the film, adding some much-needed personality and heart. Where the movie really stumbles is in its execution. Instead of leaning into the fun, whimsical “kid joins NASA” premise, it becomes more of a nostalgic history lesson. The heavy reliance on narration makes it feel less like an animated adventure and more like a documentary with cartoon visuals. It spends a lot of time detailing cultural and historical events of the 1960s rather than giving us a real, engaging narrative. That shift ultimately made the movie feel flat. My son and I both went in expecting a playful animated story, but what we got instead felt like something straight out of a high school history class. The first act is strong, but once the narration takes over, the energy dips and the “fun” factor disappears. ⭐ Verdict: Creative and stylish, but more of a nostalgic animated documentary than a true children’s adventure. Worth a one-time watch for adults interested in 60s culture—but kids may find it slow and boring. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/07/25 Full Review thiago s Filme bacaninha, o roteiro é mais ou menos, as cenas são bacaninhas, o elenco é tudo em animação, e alguns ajudam a melhorar o filme, a história é boa, e achei a história interessante. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 04/24/25 Full Review Spencer P Using his previous experience with rotoscope animation, Richard Linklater does what seems impossible at this point: adding another interesting perspective on the Apollo 11 mission, by giving us his own childhood perspective of the era in great detail. The fantasy part of the story may not be that exciting, surprisingly, but in the end, you have that feeling of childhood wonder that's what makes these real missions worth it. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/29/24 Full Review Alec B It may not progress beyond Linklater's personal nostalgic musings but it is undeniably delightful. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/24 Full Review Daisy J I never tire of Linklater when he provides us with a slice of his life. This movie is so specifically him, and that made me love it. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/30/23 Full Review Denny M Sometimes I've wondered what it would be like to watch a movie with no real conflict or plot. This movie has finally answered that question. Sure, it was fun to watch along the way, but I was waiting for something actually significant to happen since it pretty much lays everything out immediately. Nope, it's just a kid getting recruited to go on a secret pre-Apollo mission and nothing at all happens because of it. The animation and acting were great, but in the end, the movie is just "what if a kid did Apollo 11 before adults did? Also look at all these things people did in 1969. Wowee, this is so craaaaaaaazy." The whole thing is literally Linklater telling us pointless (albeit kinda interesting) details about his childhood, but asking the audience: "What if I also went to space? That would've been so sick, right?" Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

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