Both directed by and based on a story from David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones, Moon is a wonderful accomplishment for a first time feature director. It is a mature and assured tale that offers a lot of content for discussion packed into a brief but leisurely paced run time. It is a film that finds itself at the crossroads of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, and Event Horizon. However, it is not merely a greatest hits mash-up of what we already know, it is a bold and original vision that delivers a mesmerizing experience at the cinema. It is a great example of what intelligent hard science fiction can be; a great defense for a genre that has been overrun by effects, fantasy, and a general lack of logic (that's not always a bad thing but has appeared a little too often).
Going into Moon, I was unsure of what to expect. Considering the very limited release, I had seen the trailer only once, I still knew I wanted to see it, but had no idea what it was really going to be about.
The movie definitely proved interesting. It is the sort of film that sneaks up on you, draws you in, makes you interested, and then is over. It is not an action film, it is not a fast-paced film, it is one that allows the story to slowly unfold over the course of its run time, seeping into your brain, all the while making you curious as to where it is going or what the meaning of it all is.
In the near future, possibly the same world that 2001 is set in, a new fuel for energy is discovered on the moon. It is called Helium3 and is used to fuel clean nuclear fusion. A mining facility has been set up on the dark side of the moon and is almost completely automated. The station is manned by a crew of one, and that person signs on for a three year stint to ensure everything runs smoothly and tend to maintenance and repairs, but is otherwise is left to entertain himself in the well-stocked base.
Article comments
1 - michuk
To a person who doesn't know 2001 Space Odyssey or hasn't read Stanislaw Lem or Phillip Dick, this all may sound pretty innovative and quite deep. One might even start asking herself question about identity and those sort of things. To me however, it was the same old stuff presented again and again, with no added value whatsoever.
My review here: "Moon": a Big Disappointment