For the depths of space that humans aren't yet able to travel to, thank goodness there are rovers to create, spend nearly a billion dollars on, and send instead.
Filmmaker Ryan White's latest doc, Good Night Oppy, tells the underdog story of Spirit and Opportunity, the twin rovers that were supposed to last 90 sols (Martian days) on the Red Planet, but ended up surviving long beyond anyone's expectations — well, mostly Opportunity (a.k.a. "Oppy"), hence the title.
Told through talking head interviews with NASA scientists who were involved in the project, the film chronicles the trials and tribulations of the Mars Exploration Program. The film goes as far back as 2003, displaying the failed test runs for the rovers, the launch of Spirit and Opportunity in 2004, and the journeys the rovers had during their unexpectedly long lives.
White structurally ties the story together with cinematic flair, combining archival clips from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory starting in the early 2000s with present day footage of NASA members recollecting their experiences, as well as breathtakingly hyper-realistic CG footage of the rovers on Mars (provided by Industrial Light & Magic). As added icing on the cake, Angela Bassett narrates each rover's data log, adding personality to the rovers.
The restored footage looks as if it could have been film today, the timeline only betrayed by seeing former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the control room on landing day. The footage beautifully captures the wonder and camaraderie shared by the NASA team and the effort put into those robots. The line blurs between being an authentic ode to science and being a NASA commercial due to the interviewees' schmaltzy testimony. That said, moments like seeing now-adult scientists recall being in the room on Spirit and Opportunity's landing day as their inspiration to work at NASA (and watching the footage of them on the day as teens) warms the heart.
Oppy's breakneck pacing leaves something to be desired, as this 15-year journey is condensed into 105 minutes, with several years of Oppy's later lifespan getting glossed over by a montage. The teamwork of the engineers and scientists, and their unified connection with the rovers millions of miles away, are emotional components that engage viewers in the story. The love shared by each member is so rich, viewers might find themselves tearing up when the rovers' journeys reach closer to the end.
Good Night Oppy is a well-crafted documentary that boasts some incredible visual effects work and a heartwarming story of a persevering rover who defied all expectations. Whether seen in a theatre or at home, this moving film will either bring you to tears or lead you to fill out a NASA job application. For me, it's closer to the latter.
(Prime Video)Filmmaker Ryan White's latest doc, Good Night Oppy, tells the underdog story of Spirit and Opportunity, the twin rovers that were supposed to last 90 sols (Martian days) on the Red Planet, but ended up surviving long beyond anyone's expectations — well, mostly Opportunity (a.k.a. "Oppy"), hence the title.
Told through talking head interviews with NASA scientists who were involved in the project, the film chronicles the trials and tribulations of the Mars Exploration Program. The film goes as far back as 2003, displaying the failed test runs for the rovers, the launch of Spirit and Opportunity in 2004, and the journeys the rovers had during their unexpectedly long lives.
White structurally ties the story together with cinematic flair, combining archival clips from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory starting in the early 2000s with present day footage of NASA members recollecting their experiences, as well as breathtakingly hyper-realistic CG footage of the rovers on Mars (provided by Industrial Light & Magic). As added icing on the cake, Angela Bassett narrates each rover's data log, adding personality to the rovers.
The restored footage looks as if it could have been film today, the timeline only betrayed by seeing former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the control room on landing day. The footage beautifully captures the wonder and camaraderie shared by the NASA team and the effort put into those robots. The line blurs between being an authentic ode to science and being a NASA commercial due to the interviewees' schmaltzy testimony. That said, moments like seeing now-adult scientists recall being in the room on Spirit and Opportunity's landing day as their inspiration to work at NASA (and watching the footage of them on the day as teens) warms the heart.
Oppy's breakneck pacing leaves something to be desired, as this 15-year journey is condensed into 105 minutes, with several years of Oppy's later lifespan getting glossed over by a montage. The teamwork of the engineers and scientists, and their unified connection with the rovers millions of miles away, are emotional components that engage viewers in the story. The love shared by each member is so rich, viewers might find themselves tearing up when the rovers' journeys reach closer to the end.
Good Night Oppy is a well-crafted documentary that boasts some incredible visual effects work and a heartwarming story of a persevering rover who defied all expectations. Whether seen in a theatre or at home, this moving film will either bring you to tears or lead you to fill out a NASA job application. For me, it's closer to the latter.
