Review: Moon

I am always excited when I see a film about which I haven't even the slightest clue. I love the anticipation, the not-knowing that comes along with an original film (assuming there is such a thing as an original film anymore). So far this summer, I have seen one movie that was not a sequel, reboot or re-imagining of an already established franchise (actually two, counting Pixar's delightful "Up,"). I don't mean to suggest that I'm sick of big, loud action/effects heavy sequels/reboots/re-imaginings, not at all. I just mean that I tend to feel a little more excited about original material, if for no reason other than the fact that original films are unfamiliar territory. It's not uncommon to basically anticipate every plot twist and every new character for the big budget action sequels of summer (thanks to all the hype they accumulate), but fresh original films are unknown, which is always fun for the viewer.

"Moon" marks the directorial debut of English film director Duncan Jones, and for a first time effort, the film is an overall success. Featuring only one real character, Sam Bell, (portrayed admirably by Sam Rockwell), "Moon" is a deceptively simple story about a man working on the moon. He's overseeing the harvesting process for Helium-3 - an answer to Earth's growing energy crisis. He's worked a 3 year contract (nearing the end of it) and he's worked it alone, save for the AI construct "Gerty" designed to keep him company and meet his needs. Just as his contract nears a close and his replacement should be sent from Earth, Sam begins to experience hallucinations and an unfortunate series of events leads to a life-threatening accident on the lunar surface. To give away anything more would invite plot spoilers, but there are several big twists and turns in store for viewers that significantly alter the way events unfold.

There were a couple of problems I had with "Moon" once the final credits began to roll. The first (and arguably most offensive) was the timing and manner in which the big twist was revealed. Usually saved for the end of a film (for maximum dramatic effect), these shifts in perspective often give the audience a reason to go back and watch a movie again with a more enlightened perspective. In "Moon," the twist is revealed relatively early on - before the half way point in the movie actually. The twist itself is very interesting, if a little uninspired, but the fact that it was unveiled so early on left the film feeling a little unclear. Things felt aimless throughout the middle section of the movie, as though there were no clear direction for events to move toward. The film flirts with boredom in places, but just barely manages to keep enough intrigue to hold attention. Imagine that in M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense," Bruce Willis' character is revealed to be a ghost/dead person around 1/3 of the way into things and you might have an idea of what to expect from "Moon." The revelation left me asking, "Ok, cool twist...but what now? Where do things go from here?" Unfortunately, the middle section progresses onward without actually answering those questions.

I do think it important to mention the acting chops on Sam Rockwell. Not every actor in the world can carry a movie on their shoulders nearly single-handedly, but Rockwell manages to pull it off effectively. He's not quite Tom Hanks in "Cast Away," but he performs admirably enough. Kevin Spacey lends monotone, droll voice talent to the AI computer "Gerty," who, in a refreshing take on an over-used character in the sci-fi genre, actually turns out to be a good guy. The film draws obvious inspiration from the seminal classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, and pays tribute to other sci-fi flicks of the past(perhaps a little too closely at times) where it is due. If there is one thing that turned out to be truly disappointing about "Moon," I'd have to say it was the fact that it all felt very familiar, ironically enough. I went in to the theater expecting something fresh and unique, and found a movie that felt quite similar to many other sci-fi hits, both contemporary and classic.

"Moon" is respectable sci-fi drama, heavy on the emotional weight of characters and light on the action. It's far from perfect, but I still enjoyed it enough to recommend it to sci-fi fans who happen to be interested. I'm not sure I'd see it more than once in theaters (certainly wouldn't spend $20 on the dvd brand new), but I might pick it up if I find it one day in the $5 bin.

6/10

Moon

Directed by Duncan Jones

Produced by Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler

Written by Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker

Starring Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey (voice)

Rated R for language