Odyssey (dir. Avi Belkin)

By: Adam Freed

In October of 1957 the former Soviet Union launched the unmanned satellite known as “Sputnik” into Earth’s orbit, thereby igniting the minds, curiosity, and competitive spirit of the American people.  In the decades that followed, The United States and the USSR would engage in one of the most ferocious non-military battles in global history, the race to put man on the moon.  With over 2500 hours of footage at his disposal, director and editor Avi Belkin combed the NASA archives in the creation of his captivating account of the history of the Space Race, Odyssey.  Belkin’s documentary uses only archived footage, meaning that there are no retrospective interviews or production notes, a stunning artistic choice that allows audiences to experience the intensity and intrigue of the events first hand.  The result is one of the most electrifying and awe inspiring works of documentary filmmaking crafted in a very long time.

Odyssey (no relation to Homer or Christopher Nolan’s THE Odyssey) primarily frames its narrative by following Apollo astronaut James Lovell’s globally famous experiences through the intensity of the Space Race.  Lovell, who piloted the Apollo 8 mission to first orbit the moon, and was again at the helm in 1970 for the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission that intended to return man to the moon.  As well documented in Ron Howard’s 1995 film Apollo 13, Lovell and his team courageously returned to Earth against all odds amidst diminishing health conditions.  What is most striking about Avi Belkin’s film is that it presents far more as an emotional thriller than it does a documentary.  Each NASA mission presents an increased intensity that feels more gripping and propulsive than the last.  Without question the access that 20th century media outlets had to the families of NASA’s astronauts created the peak dramatic stakes within Odyssey.  Images of Marilyn Lovell, with children in toe, glued to their television praying against all hope that their beloved husband and father would splash down safely to Earth is a dramatic livewire that not even Ron Howard could recreate.  

As is the case with all great documentary films, Odyssey lives and dies as a product of its editing.  To this end, Avi Belkin’s work as editor of the film is perhaps even more central than his role as director.  In a sea of 2500 hours of footage, sewing together the right moments from history to build the film’s dramatic tension is paramount.  The result is a deeply layered and impressively detailed quilt, the vision of which may have belonged to Avi Belkin the director, but its creation must be credited to Belkin the editor.  Documentary films do not come with much more intensity, access, or insight than Odyssey.  The result is an extraordinary and immersive experience unlike anything ever captured on Earth…or beyond.

Target Score 9/10 - In Odyssey, Director Avi Belkin has crafted one of the most propulsive and meticulously detailed documentaries in ages.  The gripping, decades-long story of NASA’s Space Race and the cultural and global impact that it made, is told in razor sharp fashion.  The result is a film that must be seen to be believed.  

Odyssey was reviewed as part of Movie Archer's coverage of the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival.