Moon

Directed by Duncan Jones

Written by Duncan Jones (story) and Nathan Parker (screenplay)

Released: June 12th, 2009 (limited)

FS Verdict: Don’t believe the Rotten Tomatoes score; you can wait for DVD on this one. Worth seeing, just not necessarily in theaters.

I absolutely loved this film. And I absolutely hated it.  It was filled with mind bending and thoughtful prose, yet didn’t go far enough.  It questioned corporate greed, human nature, right from wrong…but not really. Therein lies the frustration of the directorial debut of Duncan Jones (David Bowie’s son).  Moon simply does not go far enough in exploring the questions it raises.  With the snail like pace, this 97 minute movie felt more like its inspiration 2001: A Space Odyssey (148 minutes).

Roger Ebert summed up the spoiler free plot line the best:

At some point in the future (we can’t nail down the story’s time frame), this station on the far side is manned by a single crew member, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) He’s working out the final days of a three-year contract and is close to cracking from loneliness. Talking to loved ones via video link doesn’t satisfy. The station is largely automated; it processes lunar rock to extract Helium-3, used to provide Earth with pollution-free power from nuclear fusion….

The station is large and well-appointed, has entertainment resources and adequate supplies. Sam communicates frequently with the home office … and so does Gerty (a “HAL”-like computer voiced by Kevin Spacey). Sam doesn’t do any actual mining, but his human hands and brain are needed for repairs, maintenance and inspection. One day he’s outside checking up on something, and his lunar rover smashes up. He’s injured and awakens in the station’s medical facility.

I say “spoiler-free” plot because that is all you need to know. Reading more into the story will ruin what comes next.  Watch the trailer, read the above plotline, and leave it alone. This is the  difficulty of writing a review about things you simply cannot spoil.

Sam Rockwell gives an amazing performance; actually he gives amazing performances. He is a one-man show (sorta) and is really able to let loose in this role.  His main motivation is to get back to Earth to his wife and daughter before he loses his mind. Only 2 more weeks…only 2 more weeks.  If you need one reason to see this film, it’s for his performance.  Even with the frustrations I mentioned above, he is  outstanding.

Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler)  delivers another haunting score that pierces throughout the film.  He proves why he is one of the top composers right now with menacing piano and beats throughout.

Moon was shot on a shoestring $5 million dollar budget.  Jones was able to create a world that looked so believable and effects so flawless, you would assume this had a much larger budget.  It’s shot in tight quarters which gives the audience the same claustrophobic  feeling our main character has. If this film was any longer, though,  the audience might start to lose their minds as well.  I recommend seeing this film. It will make you think, it will make you feel.  There is just no reason to run to the theater.  It won’t change your life.

Corey @ FS

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