amusement park rides and epic films. The use of IMAX to the best advantage was praised, with soaring shots galore, and the score was said to amplify its illusion of reality. Tom Chernitsky of the Elyria Chronicle Telegram additionally credited the use of "unusual" camera angles and novel filming techniques to the film's mastery. It also received positive reviews from teachers, who said the immersive cinematography alone makes it educational because it teaches children how it feels to fly. The Tampa Tribune rated the film three out of four stars, equating its fun to a parade, deeming the Horseshoe Falls and barnstorming scenes the best. The squared segment of the opening sequence was praised for being disappointing because it does not fill the entire IMAX screen, anticipating audiences for the giant-screen moment. John Russell of The New York Times credited the cinematography to the audiences' immersion in the story despite its short duration, with the plot improving as the film progresses. Critics called it a paean and poetry film, citing its lyrical, wonderous look of nature. Dan Moran of the Lake County News-Sun said the film is one of the few Pictorium films that kept audiences awake instead of asleep. Nathan Southern of AllMovie gave the film four-and-a-half stars out of five, stating its aerial shots help it be the vivid insight to American transportation as it should, calling the film historically significant and "One of the greatest unsung landmarks of American documentary". As the filmmakers intended, the space sequence was praised as akin to 2001. Contemporary critics are found to be more positive. The opening scene was described as intimate yet magical, the ending uplifting, as well as the narration as personal and meditative. The film's combination of vintage and contemporary settings was said to amplify its emotional and nostalgic weight. Modern critics were more analytical, panning some of the film's uneven and inconsistent editing; it was also pointed out that the balloon also does not appear to be moving. Ezekiel was deemed banal and pretentious, and the omissions of real-life aviation pioneers were noted. The Betamax sound mixing is called "rudimentary", though these shortcomings fade during the spaceflight scene, according to filmmaker Mark R. Hasan. Stuart Heritage of The Guardian put the film in the "dreary, educational" category of IMAX documentaries. Jeremy Smith of Yardbarker praised the film's effective motivation but said its use of IMAX is a