The dark side of the moon

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2009)

When I think of the word moon I don't just think of our moon, the Moon, but a distant body floating along, slightly disconnected but close enough for contact. That is more what Duncan Jones' debut film Moon is about.
It stars Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, the one man crew of Lunar Industries energy base located on, you guessed it, the Moon. He is alone with the station's computer/robot Gerty (voiced marvelously by Kevin Spacey) for three years and is only two weeks away from his return trip home. He has a wife and child he has yet to hold back on Earth. Everything seems to be going well.
Then it happens. An accident while checking one of the harvesters. He wakes up back in the base and is bombarded with tests by the computer. His memory of the incident is gone and all that he knows is there has been an accident and he is not allowed back outside. He is determined to get outside.
What happens next I don't want to get into. Watch the trailer to try and get an idea for yourself. What ensues, at least to me, is one of the best psychological science fiction stories of all time. It asks so many questions about what is right and wrong, the value of one's life, and how far is too far for science to go. This film shows what happens when a man is pushed to the limit in a place where the limit is very confined.
This is Rockwell's defining moment as an actor. His characters up until this point have been surprisingly good (especially in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), but this is the one. You can read his face and know exactly what he is feeling. There were times when I wanted to tell him everything will be alright, even though I wasn't sure. I can only imagine what three years in virtual isolation can feel like.
The real winner here is Duncan and his spectacular approach to this genre. He uses very recognizable technologies tied in with futuristic advancements that are a stretch, but not by much. From a visual standpoint you will be hard pressed to find a more realistic looking sci/fi film. I'm guessing he used a combination of green screen, models, and some CGI to create such a realistic lunar landscape. It gives the story an added boost.
From start to finish this is an impressive film from both a technical standpoint and a stylistic one. Moon is that rare piece of science fiction that tinkers with the way you look at the world we live in and not just the future. There is a good amount of deep thinking that can be dredged up from watching this film. Some people might find that annoying. I think that is what makes film so enjoyable. Do yourself a favor and go see this movie before it leaves the theaters. Waiting for this one to be released would be a mistake.