The alternate-history comedy Fly Me to the Moon starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum launched on Apple TV+ on Friday. The film covers events that definitely did not happen during the 1969 moon landing.
It premiered in theaters over the summer, and is only now reaching streaming.
Fly Me to the Moon mixes comedy and romance
Reviews of Fly Me to the Moon are sometimes positive. “With Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum igniting the fuse with good old-fashioned, Grade A movie-star chemistry, Fly Me to the Moon is a “go” from the get-go,” wrote the Chicago Sun-Times reviewer.
But it also draws criticism for not staying focused. The movie jumps between romantic comedy, patriotism and drama.
The Apple TV+ synopsis says:
“Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, Fly Me to the Moon is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson), brought in to fix NASA’s public image, wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’ (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as backup, and the countdown truly begins.”
Stars two stars
Most critics say the best part of Fly Me to the Moon is its two headline stars.
Scarlett Johansson might be best known for her time as Black Widow in multiple Marvel films, and her portrayal as the AI in Her helped make it a sci-fi classic.
Channing Tatum usually stars in comedies and action movies, including the big-screen adaptation of 21 Jump Street.
Fly Me to the Moon started in theaters
Apple TV+ has yet to have a big box-office hit. Many of its series do well, but its films have done marginally in theaters. Fly Me to the Moon is no exception, bringing in $42.2 million.
That said, Apple originally made the film to go straight to its streaming service. But it did unexpectedly well with test audiences, and the decision was made to have a theatrical release. So any money made from ticket sales is something of a bonus.
Watch it this weekend
Streaming Fly Me to the Moon, plus many other films and series, comes with a subscription to Apple TV+. The service is $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle.
And Apple’s streaming video service also includes much more, of course. There’s a library of sci-fi, drama, comedies, musicals, children’s shows, nature documentaries, etc.
