Faux-doco conspiracy thriller, partly filmed at NASA after fooling the powers-that-be about the film's intentions. In the midst of the...
Faux-doco conspiracy thriller, partly filmed at NASA after fooling the powers-that-be about the film's intentions. In the midst of the Cold War, two young CIA agents infiltrate NASA to find a mole, but find themselves at ground zero of one of the 20th Century's biggest lies. Forget spies - is there a cover-up about the moon landings? And what won't the White House do to keep it secret?
"This is the story that has been cut together from the footage the Operation Avalanche team shot when they recently infiltrated NASA by saying they were shooting a documentary about the Apollo program in the 1960s. By slipping actors into real scenarios and crafting fiction from the results, director Matt Johnson offers possible new contexts to reframe our realities. This blending of fact and fiction is one that Johnson is becoming known for, and it's a unique and audacious approach." (Hot Docs Festival)
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70 %66 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
53 %1,896 reviewsAudience score rating
"Celluloid-sniffing cinephiles, conspiracy theorists and alternate-history enthusiasts alike should have a field day with Matt Johnson’s faux-documentary, a technically deft, but tonally flat blend of fact and fiction that posits a different backstory to the historic 1969 moon landing of Apollo 11."
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Flicks
Flicks"Demonstrates that there's still plenty of room left within the found-footage format to craft fresh, high-concept projects, regardless of the fact that no one's falling for their alleged authenticity any longer."
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Variety
Variety"This mischievous, winking sensibility lends lightness and bounce to a story that’s not without menace and even some pathos."
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The New York Times
The New York Times"The ending doesn't quite land the gut punch it's hoping for, but this is more about fun than about exposing deep, nefarious truths. At least, I think it is."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"With its Creedence Clearwater Revival-inspired soundtrack and clever use of different types of film stock and grades, there's a lot to like about this wildly inventive what if scenario."
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Stuff
Stuff"An enjoyable exercise in creative low-budget, DIY special effects-enhanced film-making - one which finds fresh inspiration in the whole tired found-footage shtick."
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New Zealand Herald
New Zealand Herald"It's as dizzying as it sounds, but more the fun-house version of disorienting."
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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times"Even more remarkable, the shaky camerawork always maintains spatial orientation, so that viewers can follow each beat of the plot despite the shifting perspectives."
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IndieWire
IndieWire"Avalanche will attract more attention for its sneaky ethic...and for its efforts at recreating a period-appropriate look."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood Reporter"A small step rather than a giant leap."
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Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment WeeklyOperation Avalanche | Details
- Rating
- M, Mature themes and coarse language
- Runtime
- 94
- Genre
- Comedy, Drama, Thriller
- Country of origin
- USA
