First chimps and now bugs get to go into orbit — that’s right, the title of this film refers to the common housefly. And as in Space Chimps, not only is the animated space flight in Fly aimed at kids, but it also draws from authentic NASA lore. The year is 1969, Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 crew are about to embark on the mission to put a man on the moon, and, unnoted by history, three adolescent flies have stowed away. Apart from some extraneous nonsense involving Amelia Earhart, Russian fly operatives, and a Grandpa McFly (voiced by Christopher Lloyd, who played Marty McFly’s mentor Doc Brown from the Back to the Future series), Moon doesn’t muster much buzz. (Apollo 11 crewman “Buzz” Aldrin does have a cameo.) The rendering of the historic flight and the lunar landing impresses; the 3-D effects orchestrated by director Ben Stassen likewise catch the eye, but they also disorient and distract. 84 minutes | Boston Common + Fenway + Fresh Pond + Circle/Chestnut Hill + Suburbs
