The Last Man On The Moon

He may have narrowly missed the chance to be the first, but in 1972 Navy-pilot-turned-astronaut Gene Cernan became – thus far – the last human to walk on the moon. He recounts his exploits in this enjoyable, efficient doc, alongside reminiscences from lunar luminaries like mission controller Gene Kranz and Apollo 13 captain Jim Lovell. Illustrated with family snaps and home movie footage, these tales of remarkable men in extraordinary times are the heart of the film.

Cernan covers everything from being measured for his first space suit to losing close friends in the Apollo 1 disaster, while his memories of the moon landing itself come close to poetry. Director Mark Craig has an annoying tendency to ‘enhance’ the narrative with creaky, ‘Mad Men’-style animated sequences and overbearing music. If ever a story needed no embellishment, it’s this. Still, Cernan’s life is well worth celebrating.