I had seen the documentary film A Brief History of Time, and the Oscar winning Eddie Redmayne movie The Theory of Everything, so I was most interested to see a new documentary with much more detail about the life and career of a great man and mind. English theoretical physicist and cosmologist Professor Stephen Hawking is one of the most famous scientists in history, and this documentary focused on all aspects of his life and career, from his youth to the present day, told by himself and those closest to him. Starting from his study of astrophysics in Cambridge University, his slow progression and deterioration from motor neurone disease, or ALS, his graduation and PhD degree, and his marriage to first wife Jane. Then it continues to his rise to fame, discovering new theories of black holes, the beginning of the universe, space and time and many more, and the writing of his book A Brief History of Time, which became a worldwide best seller. It also explains his life-threatening pneumonia and the tracheotomy that ended his ability to speak, the details of his speech synthesiser, and how despite these setbacks he continued his work, including at Cambridge University, and became the famous genius he is. It also includes footage of his appearances in episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Simpsons, his appearance at the London 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, his experience of a zero gravity flight, and the information that he has been invited to be a guest on the first flight into outer space. With narration by Hawking, using his copyrighted Equalizer computerised voice, featuring actors playing him and his friends and family for reconstructions, with contributions from Buzz Aldrin, Sir Richard Branson, Jim Carrey, Benedict Cumberbatch (who played Stephen in the 2004 TV movie Hawking), Jane Hawking, Mary Hawking, and many of Hawking's friends, colleagues, students and care workers who love and admire him. Hawking is a great man who has struggled through many challenges, not just his disability, but in his personal life and career as well, this film, co-written by Hawking himself, really gives you an incite into his world, you are in awe of his dedication to his work, his continued sense of humour and his human endeavour, an extraordinary story and most watchable documentary film. Very good!
Review of Hawking
