'First Man': Trailer teases challenges of landing on moon

The moon landing was a big milestone for humankind, but it is also a personal journey for the people involved. “First Man” is a movie that tells this story from Niel Armstrong’s (Ryan Gosling) perspective.

The first trailer of the film has been released online [see below]. The video shows the challenges people had to face to put a man on the moon. The rocket technology of that time wasn’t yet sophisticated enough. There were no guarantees as the team at NASA essentially put a man on top of a controlled explosion to propel him into space.

There is a ton of work that has to be done on the ground to make sure nothing goes wrong in space. Time and again Neil has to meet failure, which is very difficult for his wife Janet Armstrong (Claire Foy) to watch.

From complex new techniques to ejection seats that blow up, the team has to find a way to safely take a man to the moon and then bring him back. There are questions and doubts from every corner, with a concerned media acknowledging the ambition of the project but at the same time pointing out the inherent dangers involved.

A funeral scene appears to tease a few deaths along the way. Neil’s son asks if the astronaut will come back from this trip.

There’s a lot at stake. This was an era when the US was in a tight race against the Soviet Union. There is a lot of money involved in the space exploration, money that can be deployed in other areas.

“First Man” has been directed by Damien Chazelle, who is known for his work in films like “La La Land” and “Whiplash.” Some of the cast members of the film are Pablo Schreiber (Jim Lovell), Kyle Chandler (Deke Slayton), and Jason Clarke (Edward Higgins White).