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Sony Pictures
It is difficult to review a film, especially a good film, when it requires that you not reveal any of the major plot points. And Moon, the directorial debut of Duncan Jones, turns on one major plot point.
It also rests on the shoulders of Sam Rockwell, essentially the only actor in the film. He plays Sam Bell, the sole occupant of a lunar mining station where Earth in the not-too-distant future now obtains its energy resources. Bell is about to reach the end of his contract after three years where his only company has been delayed messages from his wife and young daughter back on Earth, and Gerty, the station's artificial intelligence system, voiced by Kevin Spacey.
That gives the film a 2001: A Space Odyssey feel, as does the sterile white production design of the station interiors, but Jones is concerned with more than homage. Like the best sci-fi, he is concerned with questions of humanity: what does it mean to be human? And that's where the major plot point comes in to play.
When Bell goes outside the station to check on a malfunctioning machine an accident occurs and – and to say anymore would spoil the surprise. Less of a surprise is Sam Rockwell's performance. Considered more of a character actor, and mostly playing manic characters at that, Rockwell got his best leading man role in the George Clooney-directed Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Here, Jones gives him another and he runs with it and in a perfect world, an Oscar nomination would be his.
Made on a budget of $5million, which is noticeable at times but never distracting, Moon is a small film but no less worthy for that. It has ambition which is far more than a lot of films, with bigger budgets and much less to say, have in their favour.
Sony Pictures
It is difficult to review a film, especially a good film, when it requires that you not reveal any of the major plot points. And Moon, the directorial debut of Duncan Jones, turns on one major plot point.
It also rests on the shoulders of Sam Rockwell, essentially the only actor in the film. He plays Sam Bell, the sole occupant of a lunar mining station where Earth in the not-too-distant future now obtains its energy resources. Bell is about to reach the end of his contract after three years where his only company has been delayed messages from his wife and young daughter back on Earth, and Gerty, the station's artificial intelligence system, voiced by Kevin Spacey.
That gives the film a 2001: A Space Odyssey feel, as does the sterile white production design of the station interiors, but Jones is concerned with more than homage. Like the best sci-fi, he is concerned with questions of humanity: what does it mean to be human? And that's where the major plot point comes in to play.
When Bell goes outside the station to check on a malfunctioning machine an accident occurs and – and to say anymore would spoil the surprise. Less of a surprise is Sam Rockwell's performance. Considered more of a character actor, and mostly playing manic characters at that, Rockwell got his best leading man role in the George Clooney-directed Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Here, Jones gives him another and he runs with it and in a perfect world, an Oscar nomination would be his.
Made on a budget of $5million, which is noticeable at times but never distracting, Moon is a small film but no less worthy for that. It has ambition which is far more than a lot of films, with bigger budgets and much less to say, have in their favour.
I HATED it.
ReplyDeleteI had problems with it from the very start. It is sci-fi-lite.
Sam Rockwell did a good job with the weak material.
The set design, the lighting and some of the editing were very poor. The wobbley sets and unfuturistic look made me want to puke in my space helmet.
It borrowed so much and gave nothing in return.
It was too easy to be two steps ahead of the plot and offered no surprises as promised.
Sting's wife produced it and I reckon she has the nickname of 'Stinge'.
No stars, no planets and no satellites from me.
...I changed my mind-one star for Sam's bottom.
Hey Aaron, thanks for your comments - my first!
ReplyDeleteSorry you didn't like Moon; perhaps your expectations were higher than mine? I know how much you expect from your sci-fi.
But I hope you keep reading!