Moon

Moon is a very interesting sci-fi film. The whole thing plays out like one extended episode of The Twilight Zone. The story is about Sam Bell an astronaut, played by Sam Rockwell, who has been stationed on the moon for three years mining resources to help reserve the Earths energy source. He works there in solitude, left with only his thoughts and his helpful AI computer GERTY, played very monotone by Kevin Spacey, to keep him company. Two weeks out from going home the isolation starts to greatly affect his mind. He starts to see things. While on patrol he comes across a wrecked rover. He rescues the driver and discovers it’s himself?! He soon discovers his mission isn’t quite what he thought it was.

Rockwell does a great job portraying Sam. Since Sam is isolated for the duration of his mission much of the movie lies heavily on the support of Rockwell’s shoulders. The conversations he has with himself along with Spacey’s GERTY feel very genuine. Rockwell’s body language vividly displays Sam’s restlessness and loneliness. He brilliantly expresses Sam’s building paranoia as well as his internal struggle in both understanding the situation he’s in and coming to terms with his existence.

Moon is a great sci-fi film. Director Duncan Jones uses wide shots to highlight Sam’s isolation. The long hallways of the moon base create a sense of claustrophobia. The movie raises interesting psychological questions. It asks you what the purpose of life is and what it means to be human.  

4.5 out of 5 stars

2009 R, 1h 37min