Gripping, Extraordinary And Evocative Sci-Fi Film Of Solitary Lunar Worker

Rating: 7/10 (14 January 2013)

Sam Bell is the only technician on lunar base Sarang, nearing the end of a three-year contract. After an accident whilst on patrol in a moon buggy, he wakes up in the base infirmary, unsure of how he got there and suspicious that things are not what they seem ...
This is a wonderful one-man science-fiction drama, which is beautifully written, directed and acted, subtly reminiscent of some classic genre films from forty years prior, but more importantly is a unique, extremely original and constantly surprising little story in its own right. It's one of those delicious movies which plants a troubling notion in the mind of the protagonist (and viewer), and when that fear is realised the effect is heartbreaking. It's a fantastical premise which never seems anything less than plausible, thanks to the bravura performance from Rockwell, who is simply astounding. The hardest thing for any actor is the absence of others to play against and he handles this with consummate skill. Like the best movies, on one level it's a gripping story where we wonder what will happen next, but underneath this it is so much more as Sam confronts fundamental truths about what it means to be alive. Jones is something of a revelation for me; in my opinion his direction is near flawless. The film is exquisite to look at, gripping in its suspense, profound in its scope, smooth and unhurried, atmospheric and stylish, layered with metaphors, serious in its themes but also wryly amusing by turns. He clearly has a love of the genre, as the picture reminds us of 2001: A Space Odyssey visually, Silent Running plot wise, and THX 1138 thematically, but his classic objective visual style is superb and his movie is all his own. Despite being made on a minuscule budget every scene looks sensationally authentic in beautiful outer-space Panavision, and the editing is modest and careful, never falling into the trap of cutting too much but simply letting the sets and the shots speak for themselves. Equally terrific is Spacey as the voice of Gerty, the computer, whose tones blend mellifluous, bland and disquieting together, developing a charming and surprising character from literally nothing. The visual effects are superb and Clint Mansell's music is a fabulously evocative series of deep piano chords, percussion and industrial sound which fits the visuals like a glove. I'm a die hard sci-fi fan and in my view this is the best such movie for ten years, both in terms of its look and its scope. It may only be a slight story, but I really can't think of any faults with it and that's pretty magical. Trivia - Jones is the son of rock legend David Bowie and producer Trudie Styler is the wife of rock legend Sting, neither of whom had any connection with the movie. A great modern-day science-fiction classic and, like John Carpenter's Dark Star, one of the most impressive directorial debuts I have ever seen.