On DVD and Blu-rayOn the dark side of the moon, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is finishing his 3-year stint managing the mining of Helium-3, an isotope used for fusion that helps solve Earth's energy problems. The only other inhabitant on the lunar station is GERTY, a computer (voiced by Kevin Spacey) who fixes any and every problem. Sam begins hallucinating and this leads to a crash. When Sam is awakened, he will begin questioning everything - from his family and the corporation's intentions to his very existence . . .
First-time director Duncan Jones creates a suffocating, claustrophobic atmosphere and gets surprisingly adept visuals both in the station and on the lunar surface. Clint Mansell's score contributes to the mysterious feeling and hits the emotional points perfectly. Rockwell is basically a one-man show and gives an amazing performance, playing many aspects of himself. The special effects are invisible because the story is gripping enough to place you right into the action. The movie wastes no time going from twist to twist, barely giving the viewer time to keep up.
The film was made for a paltry $5 million and this certainly limits its scope with basically only one character talking to himself. The anti-corporation stance is somewhat respectable, but could have been handled more delicately. The film ends a little awkwardly and abruptly. But like the best of the science fiction genre, Moon gives you plenty to think about: long distance relationships, the aging process and its effect on personality, the effects of isolation, and the occasional need for self-reflection. This is required viewing for science-fiction fans, but even for those that aren't, Rockwell's performance is too good to be missed. B+
This one's on deck for me. Looks interesting. Mansell's score for the Fountain was also great.
ReplyDeletei wanted to catch this one when it came out, but it played here for 7 days. i'll check it out.
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