Based on a true conspiracy theory
Playing a psychedelic Swinging Sixties riff on the notion that Stanley Kubrick faked the Apollo moon landings for NASA, Moonwalkers concocts a goofy slapstick scenario out of the famous conspiracy theory.
It’s 1969, Apollo 11 is about to launch and the CIA wants a backup in case the mission flops. So the agency dispatches Ron Perlman’s ’Nam-flashback-suffering agent to London. His mission? Recruit the 2001: A Space Odyssey director for the job, obviously. Somehow, however, he winds up instead with Rupert Grint’s floundering rock manager, Jonny, and his permanently spaced-out actor flatmate, Leon (Robert Sheehan).
"Cartoonishly gory"
From here, events get even more farcical. And the whole shebang climaxes with East End gangsters and an army of CIA spooks both converging on the arty mansion commune where the sham footage is being shot.
Along the way, director Antoine Bardou-Jacquet and writer Dean Craig rather overdo the hippie-stoner gags, and they don’t stint on the cartoonishly gory, Tarantino-like violence, either. But Grint and Perlman are great fun and the movie’s wacky verve keeps the story rolling.
Certificate 15. Runtime 93 mins. Director Antoine Bardou-Jacquet
Moonwalkers debuts on Sky Cinema Premiere on 26 March and is available on Blu-ray & DVD from Icon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRoMpeUGZ9I
