Space Cowboys

directed by Clint Eastwood
List(s):"Movie One"
Category: "Suspense"
Year of Release:2000
Date Added:12/31/2014
Date Watched:05/17/2015
Description:When an obsolete Russian satellite shuts down and threatens to crash, NASA contacts Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood), who designed it 40 years before. Frank wanted to be one of the first astronauts but was turned down by his superior in the Air Force, Bob Gerson. Now Frank agrees to help, but only if he and his old team, Hawk (Tommy Lee Jones), Jerry (Donald Sutherland) and Tank (James Garner) get to fly the shuttle mission to do the job. Gerson agrees but includes two current astronauts on the mission. He doesn't intend to send the old guys, but when the media gets wind of what's going on, the four become heroes and NASA can't back out — even though Hawk has inoperable cancer. When they get to the satellite, they discover that it's armed with nuclear warheads pointed at American cities. One of the young guys knew this and goes against Frank's orders and tries to put the satellite back in orbit. It malfunctions, crashes into the shuttle and starts sinking into orbit. Frank and Hawk manage to stop it. They decide to send it into space, but the only way this can be done is if one of them stays with it to use the warheads as rockets. Hawk insists, since he's dying anyway. He takes off and actually makes it to the moon (as we see as the credits roll). Frank manages to land the shuttle on manual control.
My Rating:7

Reviews for Space Cowboys

Review - Space Cowboys

A harmless action film. It was enjoyable to watch but not terribly believable or memorable. James Garner, for one, didn't look capable of passing any physical, much less one required to be an astronaut. That the head of the mission would know there were warheads on a satellite and not think anybody would notice, or that he was allowed to stick around in the mission room and meet with reporters after the mission is ludicrous. But this isn't a movie one is supposed to think about much, so I'll stop now.

Reviewed by Roger on 2015-05-17 20:24:50

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