There have been no shortage of conspiracy theories about the moon landings over the years. Ever since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the lunar surface, there’s have been rumours and hearsay about a hoax. These were re-ignited when the internet came into being. In Antoine Bardou-Jacquet’s directorial debut Moonwalkers, the American government appear to be hazarding their bets.
Jonny (Rupert Grint) is in a bit of a fix. He’s the manager of a failing rock band who are constantly on his back to get them signed. What he needs is money and Jonny is already in hock to a local gangster (James Cosmo) who is after his blood. When he chances upon a CIA agent (Ron Perlman) with a briefcase of cash in order to get Stanley Kubrick to film a fake moon landing, Jonny grabs the opportunity with both hands. Along with his friend Leon (Robert Sheehan), he sets out to fulfil the task. After all, his life depends on it.
Moonwalkers is an inherently strange film. On the one hand, the premise is pretty smart. After all, if you’d staked your reputation and Cold War bragging rights on the coup of a moon landing, you’d probably want some kind of insurance. On the other hand, it’s very much an old-school British caper with some surprisingly good design, but is incoherent and unfocused. If you’re after something light and forgettable then Moonwalkers could be precisely what you need.
Moonwalkers is released on DVD by Icon Film Distribution on 30th May.
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