Astronaut Jim Lovell wants nothing more from his career than the privilege of walking on the moon. He’s elated when a medical condition bumps his crew from backup status to lead crew for Apollo 13. In spite of his wife’s premonition, Jim enthusiastically plunges into the training and preparation for the trip. Even the removal of his good friend Ken Mattingly from the crew can scarcely dampen his enthusiasm. What started out as the dream of a lifetime becomes a nightmare when a mid-space explosion jeopardizes not only the lunar landing but also the safe return of the crew. Like he did on Apollo 8, Jim can only stare longingly at the moon’s surface as the damaged spacecraft circles the lunar orb before heading back to earth. As the nation waits and prays, the members of Mission Control solve problems “on the fly” and develop the procedures that will bring the craft and crew home safely. Director Ron Howard’s suspense thriller is a fitting tribute to this modern-day miracle.
