Lately I've felt like I haven't seen a really good movie in awhile. Looking back at my reviews, I realized that I haven't seen a new movie that I really enjoyed a lot since late September! Thankfully, that good movie itch has finally been scratched by an independent gem now on DVD called "Moon", directed by Duncan Jones and starring Sam Rockwell.
The basic premise is that in the future, we have discovered a plentiful source of energy on the dark side of the moon and keep a single astronaut there in three-year shifts to refine it and send it back to us periodically. Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut who is just two weeks away from the end of his shift, when he starts to notice some strange things happening around him. By the end of the first third of the film, we discover a major revelation that we spend much of the rest of the film trying to understand.
It's unfortunate that I don't feel free to tell you more about the plot of the film, but the unfolding of the story is half of the fun. What I can do is attempt to tell you what kind of film this is. Although it is not an action movie, the threat of death is very present and the story is compelling from beginning to end. This is dramatic, character-driven sci-fi like we've not seen on the big screen for a long time. Sam Bell, the featured character in "Moon" is a very relateable character that pulled me along on his emotional journey through fear, anger and loneliness. When I was finished watching this movie I felt very grateful for my wife.
Some may compare this movie to "2001: A Space Odyssey", but I would have to ask those people when the last time was that they actually watched "2001". Although "Moon" features only one leading actor, it is a far cry from the slow moving and "quiet" feeling of "2001". Duncan Jones has actually clarified that if anything, this movie found inspiration in films that were inspired by 2001(Solaris, Silent Running, Alien), but not by "2001" itself. And if the idea of spending 90 minutes with only one actor on screen sounds stifling in some way, be assured that Sam Rockwell's performance is rich and varied enough to take the place of two or even three different characters.
If the phrase "independent film" sounds like code for "cheap looking", be not afraid. Despite a tiny budget of 5 million dollars, this movie has some incredible special effects that look so real you forget they are effects! I tend to be very critical of CGI and am usually able to pick it out easily. But I was amazed to discover how many elements in this movie were visual effects instead of practical effects. In addition to CGI, some other visual effects (of which I dare not describe the nature) were the very best I've seen of their kind, without exception. So whatever you do, don't avoid this film because you think it will look cheap. It won't dazzle your eyes with multi-colored CGI effects that look like CGI. But it has numerous special effects shots that will look more real than many special effects films with more than ten times the budget of this one.
One downside of the movie was that during the last third, I felt as though I were about 5 minutes ahead of the filmmakers. I didn't have the whole story mapped out, but I could predict things a little faster than I think they intended me to. However, this was not a significant problem for me and some earlier mysteries of the film kept me from settling into my assumptions too much.
Although Duncan Jones has a background of philosophy, it doesn't show much in this movie and he admits himself that it didn't play a significant role. Potential conversation topics after this movie may include the nature of the human soul and what makes us human. Loneliness and the need for human relationships may also be a connected topic. But any deep conversation after this film will likely only happen between people who are itching to wax philosophical.
To sum up, this is a compelling movie with great effects and a wonderfully engaging performance by Sam Rockwell that may not make you ponder, but it will very likely make you feel. You may even, like me, feel more thankful for the relationships you have.
Rated R for language and brief male nudity.
Quality: 9.0/10
Relevance: 6.0/10
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