"...Though a Russian language film, this picture is touted as being in the tradition of Hollywood space blockbusters like Apollo 13 or Gravity and in terms of storytelling and atmosphere this is certainly the case."
"...Gagarin’s flight is often overlooked these post moon landing days. For those who don’t know the story it’s a very nice production which with it’s Russian language gives it authenticity."
"...Although some viewers may be put off by the fact that this is a Russian production through and through, the film is actually surprisingly accessible. The reason for this is almost certainly due to the fact that GAGARIN is heavily inspired by the familiar Hollywood productions we all know and love."
“... the scale is so amazing that it is better perceived in cinema hall: a launcher that sends Gagarin to the stars is flaming nearby, vibration and fear are felt as if you are flying with him, you hear cosmos finding yourself in an impenetrable loneliness… It causes a cumulative emotion of the cinema hall, a timeless and compassionate emotion.”
“This is not a biographical film, but the chronology of events that gradually opens to the viewer a trajectory of the feat performed by a man with enthusiasm and courage... These are the heroes of the XX century, who have launched a satellite into space in 12 years after the cruelest war, famine and destruction, and in another four years a man has overcome gravitation. This is a grand victory of a handful of brave men who have changed the world. Indeed, Gagarin is the first real post-war hero.”
(LITERATURNAYA GAZETA (LITERARY NEWSPAPER). Abrosimova Arina “Feeling of Space”)
The systemically important factor of the film is its length – 108 minutes. This is exactly how much the flight lasted. I do not know who exactly has invented it, but it came out very psychologically true: as we know from the literature and memoirs, at the moment fraught with death, a man recalls his life. And now Gagarin, sitting in a rocket waiting for the launch, recalls how he got here in numerous flashbacks. This is the perfect move, neatly done. Pre-final – a nervous episode of touchdown – is a godsend in this context. I do not want to tell you everything, I will just say that it refers to the earliest memory: accurately and impressively.”
“It is very bravely and responsibly to shoot a film about Gagarin: this is more than a film, it’s a work with memory and myth, excuse my high soaring style. The authors were obviously looking for a way to construct a new Russian biographical film: ... they placed a bet on meaningful retro... in a number of episodes they managed to reach this real today’s dramatic effect.
I want this movie to be loved by people.
(“EKRAN I STSENA” (“SCREEN AND STAGE”) No. 15. Olga SHERWOOD “Gagarin: First in Space: Legend No. 1)
“Alexey Arkhipovich Leonov, the USSR Pilot-cosmonaut, paying tribute to the movie on the whole, has marked out the acting of actors who performed the parts of parents, sister and wife of Gagarin: “...I was deeply impressed with the scenes, which showed Gagarin’s parents performed by great actors. The filmmakers managed to find a surprisingly talented actress for the part of Gagarin’s wife. I always compare her with Valentina Ivanovna. Sergey Pavlovich Korolev is magnificent – you can’t think of someone better.”
“Boris Valentinovich Volynov, Pilot-cosmonaut has noted: “Of all the films about Gagarin, about the first flight into space – this, I think, is the most successful one. Why? Because it is the most humane one... In my opinion, this film shall be seen by all the inhabitants of the Earth and it will come into notice. There will be different assessments, the filmmakers won’t do without criticism, but this is an emotional and fair movie, and, most importantly, this is a film about a man”.
(PRAVDA.RU Igor Bukker “Gagarin – 108 minutes in space and on screen”)
Finally, in half a century, the filmland has ennobled a biopic of the first man in space, our compatriot, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Moreover, this is our native biopic, which has been coming to cinema screens for long four years with persistence worthy of the name of this man, often through, sometimes against, but holding its own. The efforts of the filmmakers were not in vain – if Yuri Alekseyevich was alive today, he would probably remain satisfied.
“Gagarin: First in Space” is a film with amazing, warm and kind atmosphere. No cold notes, without exaggeration, it’s warm at heart when you watch this movie. Despite the competition between the parties, despite the line of friendship with German Titov, which was challenged, despite a difficult childhood and all critical situations on orbit, which were shot with surprising intensity so you catch yourself at worrying about Gagarin’s life, even if the outcome is well known – even without knowing the details of his biography you subconsciously feel that it will come right. It can’t end otherwise, because he was too good man.”
(KINONEWS.RU Roman Volokhov “Storming the Universe. Gagarin: First in Space”)
“The filmmakers of “Gagarin” managed to do next to impossible: they made the audience worry about and go through the fate of the first cosmonaut, to applaud “Vostok” spaceship taking off and safe landing in a field near Saratov. And all this is despite the fact that the story of the first man’s flight into space is literally known to everyone.”
(“NOVY VZGLYAD” (“NEW LOOK”) PUBLISHING HOUSE. “Gagarin: First in Space”: Space maps are tucked in map cases”)
