A semi-dark side of the Moon

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2010)

Duncan Jones's directorial debut "Moon" is a science fiction film set on, you guessed it, the Moon. Sam Rockwell plays a Moon-based employee of a mining operation. To try to explain (spoiler-free) what happens to him is difficult so let's just say that he faces challenges as a result of his long isolation from other human beings.
The film is practically a one man show for Sam Rockwell. I've liked him since "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" and here he gives another solid performance. Kevin Spacey as the voice of GERTY (the lunar station's robotic assistant) is about the only other actor worth mentioning.
The story may not appeal to everyone, though. Personally, I liked the direction that the film was going in early on but then it turned into a different beast altogether. There's not really anything wrong with the story; it just utilizes a theme that I don't particularly care for.
Jones's capable direction keeps things under control while the film's look harks back to the likes of "2001: A Space Odyssey". I found the score a bit overwhelming at times but maybe that's just me.
I'm surprised to see the film rated so highly but apparently I've just underestimated the appeal of science fiction to the general movie-going public. That being said, I don't think that you'd necessarily need to be a science fiction fan in order to appreciate the story. Ultimately, critical consensus seems to be pretty positive for this one so perhaps I'm in the minority here.