On some levels Moon is a very simplistic film. There is one actor, Sam Rockwell, and a computer voiced by Kevin Spacey. However, do not allow it to fool you. At its core, it is extremely complex. In the undefined future we have discovered a way to create energy from moon dirt. We have huge machines to harvest the moon dirt along with a highly automated system for concentrating the energy and sending it back to Earth. In fact it is so automated it only requires one staff member, Sam Bell, to remain at the moon base and oversee everything. He is accompanied by GERTY, the computer that monitors all the process and takes care of Sam. Sam only has a couple weeks left until his three year term of solitude is up and he gets to return home to his wife and child.
At face value, this is a film about loneliness. It is about living inside your own head, and coping with the constant feeling that you will never get out. This film is solemn, reflective, and sometimes downright sad. However, this is also a film about hope, friendship and sacrifice. Most of the time I, along with the main character, was just trying to figure out what was going on. There is a lot of confusion, but the it allows you to further explore the ideas behind the film. As the pieces of the puzzle start to align you and Sam discover what is truly going on together. As you travel with him to the end of this film it is at once heartbreaking and triumphant. It left me with something to think about, which is a trait of a good movie.
Moon is an interesting film that is very well-acted and solidly put together. I found the story to be intriguing and meaningful. Most importantly, I had a great time watching this film. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you can get your hands on it.
-deric
Filed Under: Rockwell, Sci-Fi, Spacey