Movie Review: Moon at the Edinburgh Film Festival 2009 - Page 2

Part of: EIFF 2009

As I said, the movie is more about ideas than anything else and this is where Moon falters. It is an interesting piece of work to ponder over, to discuss just how many layers it may have to peel away, but when it comes down to the ideas functioning within the film's frame, they're not as fleshed out as they should be. Some would argue the ambiguity is part of its charm, and I guess it is. But for it to be a 100% satisfying movie, as opposed to a project filled with ambitious ideas, the ideas needed to be explained to a higher level than debut writer Nathan Parker and director Duncan Jones have deemed fit.

In an age where spectacle is all the rage for this type of movie (J.J. Abrams explosive Star Trek reboot to name just one), Moon scales it all down to a confined setting and a one-man cast. This could aptly be described as an interpersonal drama that just happens to be set in space, an exploration of the human psyche and what happens to the mind when alone for a long time. When it comes down to it, occasional video messages from loved ones back home isn't enough. Through the performance of Rockwell, we get to witness just what loneliness can do.

The smallness of the movie is simultaneously a strength and a weakness, because as much as it allows for a fascinating personal drama, it also makes it feel confined as a whole. Its ambition is also a blessing and curse; this small of a movie aiming so high is extremely admirable, but also not entirely satisfying when concepts are not fleshed out as much as needed. Moon is a strange, inventive, and intriguing directorial début, one that favours the question rather than the answer. To quote a certain iron-clad superhero, is it too much to ask for both?

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Article Author: Ross Miller

I am a film critic and blogger, and have been so for almost three years now, going from starting my own movie review website, Movie World (which is still running), and then moving on to writing for various movie blogs.

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