Excellent thought-provoking sci-fi

Rating: 8/10 (15 December 2010)

The field of non-pulp science fiction film is sufficiently small that any new film will call to mind its predecessors. When, as in Moon, it presents elements of a puzzle, the mind is immediately set to mining those predecessors for clues and possible answers.
So, when we meet Sam Bell near the end of his 3-year contract in isolation on the far side of the moon, and quite possibly going stir crazy with only computer/robot Gerty for company, our thoughts immediately suggest that Sam is going crackers/being influenced by his environment a la Solaris, and/or Gerty has gone mad and is playing tricks on him a la 2001. As it happens, there is another explanation, and one which is much more credible.
This film is an engrossing conundrum with a standout performance, both technically and dramatically, from Sam Rockwell, and is well worth watching.
I have only two reservations: one, the film works on the apparent assumption that clones are brought to full adulthood in a minimal timeframe and, two, there is a clear implication that the clones have a limited "shelf life", but this is never mentioned yet alone explored despite the fact that it looks as if it could usefully have been made into a major (and helpful) plot point.