The Farthest

Name: The Farthest
Genre: History, Documentary
Released: August 11, 2017
Duration: 121 min
Rating: 87
Cast: Carolyn Porco, Charley Kohlhase, Edward Stone, Fran Bagenal, Frank Drake

2017

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Universal acclaim based on 7 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

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The Farthest

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Movie Details & Credits

Abramorama | Release Date: August 11, 2017 | Not Rated

Starring: Carolyn Porco, Charley Kohlhase, Edward Stone, Fran Bagenal, Frank Drake, John Casani, Larry Soderblom, Lawrence Krauss, Nick Sagan, Timothy Ferris

Summary: The Farthest tells the captivating tales of the people and events behind one of humanity’s greatest achievements in exploration: NASA’s Voyager mission, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this August. The twin spacecraft—each with less computing power than a cell phone—used slingshot trajectories to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus andThe Farthest tells the captivating tales of the people and events behind one of humanity’s greatest achievements in exploration: NASA’s Voyager mission, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this August. The twin spacecraft—each with less computing power than a cell phone—used slingshot trajectories to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They sent back unprecedented images and data that revolutionized our understanding of the spectacular outer planets and their many peculiar moons. Still going strong four decades after launch, each spacecraft carries an iconic golden record with greetings, music and images from Earth—a gift for any aliens that might one day find it. Voyager 1, which left our solar system and ushered humanity into the interstellar age in 2012, is the farthest-flung object humans have ever created. A billion years from now, when our sun has flamed out and burned Earth to a cinder, the Voyagers and their golden records will still be sailing on—perhaps the only remaining evidence that humanity ever existed. [Abramorama]… Expand

Director: Emer Reynolds

Genre(s): History, Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 121 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Andy Webster

Aug 10, 2017

For any believer in humankind’s instinct to transcend boundaries, the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 space probes, and the NASA team that produced them, inspire awe. The Farthest, a dazzling documentary written and directed by Emer Reynolds, illustrates why. Read full review

Frank Scheck

Aug 10, 2017

The Farthest ultimately proves a welcome and invaluable reminder, in these budget-challenged times, that space exploration is of boundless importance. Read full review

Nick Schager

Aug 11, 2017

Reynolds’ film conveys a legitimate, stirring sense of awe about mankind’s innate desire for adventure, discovery and communion with all that surrounds it. Read full review

John Hartl

Aug 10, 2017

An irresistible NASA instant classic about the conquest of space — via the Voyager missions. Read full review

Noel Murray

Aug 10, 2017

The film is a stirring salute to human ingenuity. Read full review

Fionnuala Halligan

Aug 10, 2017

It’s the right film at the right time, a cathartic moment in which audiences will shed tears for a little machine made of silicon and aluminium, wrapped in tin foil and running on less computing power than our smartphones, yet which will outlive us all – perhaps by billions of years. Read full review

The Guardian Leslie Felperin

Sep 2, 2017

This exquisite, exemplary science documentary, directed by Irish editor turned helmer Emer Reynolds, recounts the rich and fascinating story of the Voyager mission, arguably Nasa’s finest, noblest contribution to scientific understanding. Read full review

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LeZee

Nov 4, 2017

Into the vast space, the man's first exploration!

From the Irish editor turned documentary filmmaker will take you on an interstellar journey. I am not talking about the scripted feature films with plenty of pleasant visuals. This is real. The real life human effort to see and learn aboutInto the vast space, the man's first exploration!

From the Irish editor turned documentary filmmaker will take you on an interstellar journey. I am not talking about the scripted feature films with plenty of pleasant visuals. This is real. The real life human effort to see and learn about the universe. It was the first of its kind attempted, and so far only attempt. The film reveals many secrets that you might have not heard before in any space documentaries you have seen. What's special about it is the releasing on the 40th anniversary since the launch of the rockets.

Well, there are real footages. But not exactly the real ones. Originally they are stills. The spacecraft took a series of picture, those received pictures were put together and formed into the video clips. Or you could say they ran it fast, so it looked like a video. Black and white to colourised, they have done a pretty nice work on that. Though there were many CGI works too for our better understanding what's going on. Like when the spacecraft travelling in the space, you can't send another one to keep picturing it from a pretty close distance like in the filmmaking what a cameraman does with the actors. That's how you would see the voyager's journey here.

Like any documentaries, this too was a series of interview based film. That would never change for this genre. There were no Brian Cox or Neil DeGrasse Tyson to narrate the space story. But Carl Sagan himself was present with his 80s, 90s press conference footages that are given regarding the latest Voyager's breakthrough. And many people who worked on the project given some precious information and their experience being one of the first to witness the historical pictures. It is a must to observe their expressions, the story that came straight from the source, stunningly.

The year was 1977. The man was already been on the Moon. The next attempt should have been the Mars. But that's another NASA story. They wanted beyond that, to see the actual universe. The technology was pretty good, though nothing like the present generation. But the great feast is, it was nearly half a century old attempt with outdated technology, yet round the year, every day, hour, minute, never it have ever had taken a rest. Travelling at the speed of 10 miles per second, it took 35 years to get out of out solar system bubble.

❝It's a pretty small spacecraft, and it's a pretty big universe.❞

Each phase of the Voyager's journey was breathtaking. It targeted the last four planets of our solar system. Started off with big brother, Jupiter. It was just a passing by and having a close look at the gas giant. Also spied at all of its moons. Then the Saturn, the guy with an icy ring. I really learnt lots about them. Particularly being first visual evidence of such phenomena.

Then came the surprise. I never knew Uranus, as well as Neptune has rings. Being a space geek, I disappointed myself there. Then they said, this guy is not a photogenic. Yep, he was not. He was too plain. But its moons were another surprise. Like the scared villains from the western films. Particularly, Miranda. Maybe my favourite moon from all of our solar system for being so different. Especially it reminded me 'The Little Prince'. Going to the final guy, Neptune, everybody got emotional, for it is being the final stop.

That was the last of our solar system. But I anticipated something about Pluto, the dwarf guy. These all happened like less than 20 years, but what came after was only an empty space within our solar system. Like it took next 15 years to exit the bandwidth of our sun. But what I guess is that there would have been some planets beyond Pluto in the ancient time, which some time later had escaped from the Sun's gravity to become the rogue planets. Because they were too far from the Sun and those empty spaces would not have been there without any reason. Is not it?

The man is not on board, but his creation reached farthest. Now travelling between the stars, nobody knows what comes next. But the Voyager still in touch with the Earth with low signal. I have known about this project since my teenage. But till now I never knew there were two Voyagers. That took me by a surprise. I have known about the on board music, map, human anatomical structure et cetera. It is obviously to make contact with other intelligence in the universe.

The Voyagers will travel thousands of years into deep space. From all, nobody knows or can predict the result of such unique space project the human has ever conducted. I think there's a possible that this documentary would feature in the upcoming Oscars. I'll be definitely happy for that. It is about the NASA's achievements. The Americans would be proud of it. But the world has too. After all, we're all the human's of the Earth. A must see documentary film by everyone.

10/10… Expand

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CMyers

Oct 7, 2017

This is an interesting look back at the achievements of the Voyager probes. It includes actual photographs of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune taken by cameras on board the two probes, along with interviews of the NASA people who made it happen. They're sending another spacecraft toThis is an interesting look back at the achievements of the Voyager probes. It includes actual photographs of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune taken by cameras on board the two probes, along with interviews of the NASA people who made it happen. They're sending another spacecraft to Europa in a couple years, maybe they should deploy a second probe with that one as well, it could take video of the first probe for the entire journey, which would prove that the whole mission isn't just a huge conspiracy involving hundreds of people spending decades pulling off an elaborate hoax to convince people that we sent something into space to take pictures...… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Dec 17, 2017

A very traditional documentary but so fascinating and impressive that the truth is that it becomes an excellent account of the passion for space exploration.

Widely recommended.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TalulaGrey

Sep 5, 2017

This is the second review I have submitted for this documentary. The low score is because of all the cgi and renderings. We don't get any actual footage of anything. We get a lot of film saying this is what is going on, but the only proof we are given is an animation. There are many scienceThis is the second review I have submitted for this documentary. The low score is because of all the cgi and renderings. We don't get any actual footage of anything. We get a lot of film saying this is what is going on, but the only proof we are given is an animation. There are many science oriented people who have a lot to say and at the same time they offer no proof. The whole thing stuck me as fake. Here's hoping they leave this review alone.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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