Good idea, had potential, but is too dry and barren to enjoy

Rating: 5/10 (29 November 2010)

I see an idea in Moon, but I don't see a motion picture. This character driven sci-fi/drama which explores being human feels too cold, bland and overlong to work. It takes a while to make its point, and relies on our identification with a character who is portrayed with confused acting. The last time Sam Rockwell was in space was in Galaxy Quest. There he was a scream, here he is a yawn. Moon (I suppose) works in small chunks but the big picture feels dull and not very enriching.
Sam Bell, for three years, has been running an energy station on the moon. The energy harvested there supplies an environmentally friendly Earth in the near future. Sam's only companion is the station's computer, Gerty (a more mobile version of HAL 9000, with a smiley face). One day/night, Sam is investigating a wrecked harvesting machine, and inside he discovers a body.... another Sam. What does this mean? Is Sam #1 going crazy from being on the moon for too long? Is Sam #2 a clone? Is Sam #1 a clone? Are there any more bodies out there? and whose side is Gerty gonna take?
Moon probably sounded good as a pitch, considering all the questions that come up once you block out the plot. Unfortunately the movie never really comes alive. The ending is the most exiting part, but ten minutes of solidity doesn't necessary warrant a time investment in eighty minutes of ponderous direction. Moon is tricky to recommend.