What is the purpose of visual effects? Is it merely to transport us to new worlds, to craft bizarre creatures, to remove or replace backgrounds behind high-wired actors? VFX often helps us escape real-life, but what happens when they try to reflect it? In 2020, the documentary Welcome to Chechnya incorporated deepfake technology to protect the identities of refugees and activists, much to the industry’s awe. The doors to a new frontier swung wide open, but a new contender is ready to take visual effects in documentary to the final frontier.
Good Night Oppy tells the story of two NASA rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, who both began exploring Mars in 2003. Only expected to operate for 90 days, both went on to long outlive the initial mission parameters and provide extraordinary research. It’s the perfect underdog story for a science documentary, so perfect that you wonder how it hasn’t already been done. And then you remember exactly why: there’s no actual footage of the rovers on Mars. Access is everything to a strong documentary, so what do you do when the stars of the show have only been captured with photographs? You make your own access.
In yet another fruitful collaboration between Steven Spielberg’s Amblin production banner and legendary effects house Industrial Light & Magic, Spirit and Opportunity’s journeys have been hyper-realized thanks to the power of visual effects. The two rovers have been meticulously recreated virtually against the stunning sand dunes of Mars, rendered based on the many pictures and data Spirit and Opportunity captured in space.
Though there is a plasticine sheen to the aesthetic, this is far outweighed by how valuable of a visual it is throughout. One especially daunting sequence, in which a solar flare threatens the mission before it even starts, emotionally conveys the many challenges faced during the mission. Another highlight is the final days of Spirit, who ended its life cycle far earlier than Opportunity; without a “face” to put that name, the loss would not feel nearly as solemn.
All that being said, this movie is only half machine. Director Ryan White devotes plenty of time to exploring the many scientists who made this mission possible. We get to learn about NASA’s history leading up to Opportunity from senior researchers, as well as how many of them fell in love with science and got involved in space exploration. A separate but equally valuable focus is given to a new generation of scientists who began their journeys right alongside the rovers, giving the entire documentary an appeal across age groups.
Many of the interviewees are deeply connected to Opportunity, with one of them even comparing its eventually-fading technology with his grandmother’s onset of Alzheimer’s. It may be a bit silly for those who thrive under more cynical conditions, but any young children interested in science will surely be inspired by this film, which is wonderful in and of itself.
Indeed, inspired is the operative word. Good Night Oppy, in true Amblin fashion, wears its heart on its sleeve, deeply imbued with a sense of wonder for science. The film uses a flashback to the initial media frenzy over Spirit and Opportunity as a way of introducing the rovers as symbols of hope and exploration, especially within the context of space exploration. This is laced through the entire film as Opportunity overcomes obstacle after obstacle, from technological malfunctions to weather-related incidents.
By the end of its extensive run on Mars, Opportunity feels deeply humanized, as does the entire institution of NASA as a whole. It’s the key ingredient that elevates Good Night Oppy from streaming fodder to a genuinely moving story of perseverance and innovation. It may not have the eye for metaphor that usually sustains Spielberg’s on-the-nose audacity, but it will certainly capture the hearts and minds of audiences looking to gain a deeper, more personal understanding about one of science’s most groundbreaking expeditions.
Good Night Oppy screened out-of-competition at the 2022 Montclair Film Festival. The film is now available to stream on Prime Video, courtesy of Amazon Studios.
Good Night Oppy was just recently nominated for a 2023 GVN Critics Choice Award! Check out our full list of nominees here.
Though its heartfelt emotionality may feel overbearing at times, the technical wizardry and intimate humanity imbues new meaning into the science behind ‘Good Night Oppy.’
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GVN Rating 8
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Larry Fried is a filmmaker, writer, and podcaster based in New Jersey. He is the host and creator of the podcast “My Favorite Movie is…,” a podcast dedicated to helping filmmakers make somebody’s next favorite movie. He is also the Visual Content Manager for Special Olympics New Jersey, an organization dedicated to competition and training opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across the Garden State.