It's hard to believe this film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, the year after 2001: A Space Odyssey, since the effects in this film absolutely pale in comparison.
Several other reviewers here seem to have found the film rather dull, b... (read more) It's hard to believe this film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, the year after 2001: A Space Odyssey, since the effects in this film absolutely pale in comparison.
Several other reviewers here seem to have found the film rather dull, but I think that's a bit unfair. It could perhaps have benefited from tighter editing, but there are some quite good performances, and it's a rather more realistic space movie than most - even presaging some of the physiological effects of prolonged weightlessness, which at the time had never been tested.
Would it be too irreverrent of me to suggest that when Pruett went out to try to fix the engine at the end, he should have said, "I'm going for a space walk. I may be some time."

A yawn fest. It (rightly) won an Academy Award for its special effects, but nothing else is very interesting.

Edge of the seat stuff even if the rescue seems a little far-fetched. It's also a little too much drawn out, although it still retains its entertainment value.

slow paced but exciting film. Gene Hackman gives a downplayed but memorable performance. this film could have easily been 30 minutes shorter. there is a lot of waiting which bugged me a little. other than that it is worth watching at least once.

If you've never seen this one, give it a try. Gene Hackman is great--Richard Crenna hugely under-rated. Check out John Sturges' use of wide-screen in the confines of a space capsule. The visual fx are dated, but the writing and acting are tops.

Underated and bashed unfairly!! Great insite into the inner workings of the space program. Most accurate movie about manned space until Apollo 13.

Okay many might view this film and say that the Special Effects are horrible. Remember this was 1969 before the fancy computers and Industrial Light and Magic that we have today. I respect it at the point because they used what they had back then whi... (read more) Okay many might view this film and say that the Special Effects are horrible. Remember this was 1969 before the fancy computers and Industrial Light and Magic that we have today. I respect it at the point because they used what they had back then which was model miniatures and backdrops. I will say that the film deserved the Best Visual Effects Oscar because the effects were great at the time. The cast is terrific with Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna and a young Gene Hackman as well as Lee Grant.
The film's other Oscar nominations were best cinematography and sound.

A mediocre film that will remind people of Apollo 13, which was of course based on events that took place AFTER this film was made. So life imitates art? At any rate, a great cast is somewhat wasted as the film is tedious and dull.