Apollo 18 2011

A chilling discovery hidden beneath the surface of NASA’s forgotten archives reveals the dark truth behind the United States’ reluctance to return to the moon since the ill-fated Apollo 18 mission. In December 1973, a team of three astronauts - Commander Nathan Walker (Lloyd Owen), Lieutenant Colonel John Grey (Ryan Robbins), and Captain Benjamin Anderson (Warren Christie) - were unexpectedly reinstated for a top-secret Department of Defense operation. Their mission was to deploy a network of detectors on the moon’s surface, designed to alert the United States to any impending ICBM attacks from the USSR.

As Walker and Anderson descended onto the lunar surface in the Liberty lunar module, they were joined by Grey, who remained in orbit aboard the Freedom Command/Service module. The initial stages of their mission proceeded smoothly, with the duo collecting moon rock samples while planting detectors. However, an eerie sense of unease crept over them as strange noises began to echo through the desolate landscape. A camera captured a small rock moving nearby, prompting Houston (Andrew Airlie’s voice) to attribute the disturbance to interference from their ICBM detectors.

But Anderson’s discovery of a mysterious rock sample on the floor of Liberty despite having secured all others hinted at something sinister lurking beneath the surface. The crew’s exploration led them to a Soviet LK lander, its presence blood-stained and eerily functional. Anderson’s investigation uncovered footprints leading into a dark crater, where he found the lifeless body of a cosmonaut. Walker’s queries about the Soviet presence were met with cryptic responses from Houston, who instructed them to continue with their mission.

The following day, the astronauts discovered that their flag had vanished, leaving only an unsettling sense of unease. As they prepared to depart the moon, Liberty was rocked by violent tremors, revealing extensive damage and non-human tracks that Walker would later cite as evidence of extraterrestrial life. In a terrifying moment, Walker felt something moving inside his spacesuit and helmet, and he watched in horror as a spider-like creature crawled across the interior of his helmet.

Walker’s disappearance from view left Anderson frantically searching for his commander, only to find him unconscious outside Liberty. Walker would later deny the events that transpired, but a wound on his chest told a different story. As Anderson removed a moon rock embedded within Walker’s suit, he realized the true extent of their predicament: they were now unable to contact Houston or Grey due to an unknown source generating increasing levels of interference. The Apollo 18 mission had become a desperate struggle for survival amidst an unearthly presence that threatened to consume them.

As Anderson’s paranoia intensifies, he begins to suspect that the real purpose of the ICBM warning devices on the lunar surface is not to detect nuclear threats, but rather to monitor an extraterrestrial presence. His partner, Walker, meanwhile, becomes increasingly afflicted by a mysterious infection around his wound, which seems to be fuelling his growing unease and desperation. The mission’s cameras, installed within the Liberty module, capture a startling phenomenon: the rock samples they’ve collected appear to be moving on their own, revealing that the “rocks” are actually indistinguishable from genuine lunar rocks - or, more accurately, extraterrestrial entities in disguise.

As Walker’s grip on reality falters, he becomes convinced that he must remain on the Moon to prevent the infection from spreading back to Earth. In a desperate bid to escape, he attempts to flee in their lunar rover, only to crash and leave himself vulnerable to the creatures’ relentless pursuit. Anderson, determined to rescue his colleague, gives chase, his strobe light casting an eerie glow across the desolate lunar landscape.

The situation swiftly deteriorates as the “rocks” begin to sprout spider-like appendages, sending Anderson fleeing in terror towards the Soviet LK lander. Utilizing its radio equipment, he manages to establish contact with USSR Mission Control, who then connect him to the United States Department of Defense. The deputy secretary’s response is chilling: not only are they aware of the situation, but they’re also convinced that Anderson himself may be infected, and thus refuse to permit his return to Earth.

With Walker now a mere shell of his former self, Anderson prepares the Freedom lander for launch, only to have it attacked by his deranged colleague. Just as Walker appears poised to breach the vehicle, he’s suddenly overwhelmed by the creatures, which crawl into his helmet and leave his blood splattered across the lander’s exterior. The once-invincible astronaut now lies helpless, a mere pawn in an intergalactic game of survival, while Anderson must confront the very real possibility that he may never return to Earth.

As Anderson expertly guides the LK lander towards Freedom, his mission to establish a connection with the alien world via extravehicular excursion is met with a shocking revelation: he’s been infected. The gravity-defying chaos within the Soviet spacecraft awakens a sinister presence - small rocks that have suddenly taken on an otherworldly form. These extraterrestrial entities unleash their malevolent fury upon Anderson, rendering him helpless to control the lander as it hurtles towards Freedom with reckless abandon. Grey’s frantic warning to “slow down” falls on deaf ears, and the space footage abruptly cuts off, leaving the audience grasping for air as the apocalyptic collision looms.

In a jarring juxtaposition, the narrative shifts to a carefree barbecue scene, where Anderson (and Grey) are surrounded by loved ones, oblivious to the horror that awaits them. The “official” account of their demise paints a tragic picture - fatal accidents that left their bodies irrecoverable. But as the story comes full circle, an epilogue reveals a disturbing truth: many of the rock samples brought back from previous Apollo missions have vanished without explanation, casting a shadow of doubt over the entire mission.