Apollo 13 is a 1995 American docudrama film directed by Ron Howard, based on the true story of the ill-fated Apollo 13 lunar mission. The film stars Tom Hanks as astronaut Jim Lovell, along with Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert, Bill Paxton as Fred Haise, Gary Sinise as Ken Mattingly, and Ed Harris as flight director Gene Kranz. The screenplay, written by William Broyles Jr. and Al Reinert, is adapted from the book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger.
The plot follows the events of the Apollo 13 mission, which was intended to be NASA's third crewed lunar landing. However, three days into the mission, an oxygen tank explodes in the service module, severely damaging the spacecraft and jeopardizing the lives of the astronauts. Stranded in space with limited resources and facing life-threatening conditions, Lovell, Swigert, and Haise must work closely with Mission Control to devise a plan to safely return to Earth.
The film is notable for its technical accuracy and attention to detail, with NASA providing assistance in training for the cast and filming techniques that realistically depict weightlessness. Released on June 30, 1995, Apollo 13 received critical acclaim for its performances, direction, and visual effects. It grossed over $355 million worldwide against a budget of approximately $52 million.
Apollo 13 was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two: Best Film Editing and Best Sound. Critics praised it for its gripping storytelling and emotional depth, highlighting the teamwork and ingenuity displayed by both the astronauts in space and the ground control team working tirelessly to bring them home safely. Roger Ebert described it as "one of the year's best films," emphasizing its clarity and remarkable technical detail.
Overall, Apollo 13 stands out as a powerful testament to human resilience and ingenuity in the face of adversity, capturing a pivotal moment in space exploration history.