Moonwalkers (2015)

Directed by: Antoine Bardou-Jacquet | 107 minutes | action, comedy | Actors: Ron Perlman, Rupert Grint, Robert Sheehan, Stephen Campbell Moore, Eric Lampaert, Kevin Bishop, Tom Audenaert, Erika Sainte, Jay Benedict, Kerry Shale, James Cosmo, John Flanders, Joe Sheridan, Andrew Blumenthal, Julie Maes

Every generation has its own conspiracy fanatics. Nowadays we hear a lot about climate deniers or you can howl with laughter at the statements of supporters of the flat earth society. From July 21, 1969, when Neil Armstrong is the first to set foot on the moon, there are those who question that historic event. The moon landing is said to be fake and NASA is said to have asked Hollywood icon Stanley Kubrick to simulate the Apollo 11 launch and landing and capture it on film. This fact forms the basis of ‘Moonwalkers’, a black comedy/action film by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet.

Two of the most conflicting characters imaginable star in the unbalanced ‘Moonwalkers’. First there is Kidman (Ron Perlman), a CIA agent traumatized by the Vietnam War, who is tasked by his boss in England to track down Stanley Kubrick. Why? For the – probable – event that the planned moon landing fails and a plan B is needed. Kidman is the personification of the ‘don’t want to run into him in a dark alley’ type. Violent to the bone, unstable as a patio table and he always wins. Until he meets Jonny (Rupert Grint). Case at the wrong time in the wrong place.

Jonny, a failed rock band manager, is actually at his successful cousin’s (Kubrick’s manager) office to borrow money. But when nephew suddenly has to leave (something with cocaine and a bloody nose) and just at that moment Kidman comes in, Jonny decides to play the game and poses as Kubrick’s manager. After all, that suitcase with money will come in handy for Jonny. It’s a good thing that Jonny’s hippie/junkie/roommate looks a bit like it. It doesn’t take Kidman long to realize Jonny’s deception, but then the opportunity to find the real Kubrick is gone and the threesome are bound together.

What follows is a Guy Ritchie-esque story with sudden outbursts of violence, black humor (Kidman’s clothes-changing tricks are very funny) and a little too much drug-infused trippy scenes. It is, after all, the sixties.

A lot of attention has been paid to the decoration. The sixties seep through every shot and while that’s visually appealing (the home of Renatus, the director who has to shoot the actual movie, for example!), it does get a little tiresome at some point to see yet another character so stoned. is like a shrimp and is not capable of anything. That joke wore off quickly. Especially in the last part of the film, when the drug consumption takes the upper hand as mentioned and the story actually goes on pause, it is too much of a good thing.

It does help that both characters deserve the viewer’s sympathy. Grint and Perlman have a nice chemistry together, kind of like Laurel & Hardy. Perlman is without a doubt the strongest asset ‘Moonwalkers’ has in their hands, so this film is not to be missed for fans of this actor.

Moonwalkers is wacky and absurd and never takes itself seriously. The strong first part of the film (just about until all the characters are introduced) suggests that the film is better than it is, but the acting and the fitting ending make up for it.