Interesting but very frustrating

Rating: 7/10 (22 January 2015)

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is near the end of a 3-year job on the Moon when some issues begin to arise. He's become pretty lonely and maybe a bit crazy from the prolonged isolation but finally he'll get to go home in a couple of weeks. This movie starts out very interesting and engaging. But soon enough, it becomes another vague thriller that's more about making us feel a certain way than earning those feelings through detailed and polished story-telling.
Some thoughts. If he's the only man on the Moon, doing this important job, how much is he getting paid? The company is clearly making millions or even billions. Clearly he should be earning heaps if he's not completely naive. And is he the only one that could do this job? Why would they only put one person on the Moon, is that really safe and reliable? What if he gets sick or hurt? Why would he agree to it? It would make more sense to have rotations, regular visits to Earth to keep the mind and body healthy. It's not like they don't have the energy resources.
Naturally, he has a wife and young daughter back on Earth. That maximises the emotional resonance of his loneliness - brilliant, right? I guess they couldn't have picked another candidate with less attachments... And conveniently, the communication is severely limited. How sad for him! All this energy and even artificial gravity but no reception! None of this is explained or explored. We know very little about him, his life, his interests, memories, hopes or regrets. That might not matter if the movie was full of things happening. But it's really just him. We need to know him.
The movie got especially annoying towards the middle. It became confusing and ambiguous. Plot points would eventually clear up but then I'd wonder why they didn't just make it clear from the start. This is what happens in bad horror movies. The characters get upset or frustrated and do stupid things. They don't think. They make things worse for themselves. They fight with each-other. They lie and make assumptions. They investigate a little bit but then give up. They are stupid and you want them to die.
The problem is that Moon has a perfectly logical and interesting plot but haphazardly reveals it while you sit there confused. I predicted several things and waited for them to awkwardly be revealed over time. Moon is padded out with artificial moments and plot devices.
There are similarities to 2001: A Space Odyssey but they're more off-putting than inspired. 2001 is a separate movie, why not let it be? It's nice when a great new movie pays homage to the classics of the past. But Moon pales in comparison to 2001 so the "homage" is distracting - I end up wishing I was watching 2001 instead. Guardians of the Galaxy brought humour and silliness. Moon doesn't push any boundaries. I was also reminded of Interstellar and the fact that it blew me away and was far more ambitious and original.
I think Sam Rockwell is a good actor but maybe he just ends up playing too many similar roles. He always seems edgy, sort of halfway between likable and a jerk. I think a more stable and upbeat personality would have worked better here, to contrast with the desolate environment and confronting plot developments. Someone we believe is good so we care when we see their difficult choices and possible corruption.
There also could have been a fair bit of humour without taking anything away from the plot. Moon is a bit dull and serious in tone. People in isolation would develop more of a dark sense of humour to cope. The film-makers didn't think about it that much it seems. In fact, there's very little to show that he's actually been there for 3 years. Very few details. All he has to show for that period of time is a small town model that he's carved. Why not anything more fun or colourful? Movies or music or games or sports? Why does space invariably have to be so depressing and plain and white and clean?
The special effects are very good. They're seamless and don't draw unnecessary attention to themselves. It simply looks like you're on the Moon. It's very cool. And it's refreshing to see beautiful sights you wouldn't normally see. The table tennis scene was slightly impressive but unnecessary. It *did* draw attention to the special effects (which is bad).
Moon is a movie with a good idea and a good actor. It touches on thought-provoking themes and has some very interesting plot ideas that could be discussed a fair bit. It's technically well-made but the script is just too weak and flawed. It's the way the emotions are handled and the artificial unfolding of the plot that ruins it. I have to still give it a 7 because in spite of its flaws, it's interesting and pretty original. The deep frustration stems from its wasted potential. It could have been a really great film but instead it's an interesting sci-fi plot bogged down by typical melodrama and countless plot holes.