Moon | Review

When it comes to science fiction films set in the final frontier, most narratives borrow from the same toy box of items such as galactic wars, aliens and laser beams. Keeping in mind that it is difficult to make a space-themed film without referencing any sources, Brit commercials director Duncan Jones’ debut feature film clearly cites influences such as Solaris and the grand daddy of all sci-fi films in 2001: A Space Odyssey and expounds on the idea that solitary confinement might, on appearance, bring out the worst in people. Backed by convincingly sharp visuals, a Sam Rockwell who excels once again in one more awkward role and a script that in essence is dark, but is made accessible by some unexpected humor and a storyline that the average ipod owner can understand, Jones’ Moon wets our appetite and while he might not quench our thirst for something edgy or unique, there is enough working here to make for a film worth landing on.

Long forgotten by our own astronauts and space programs, the earth’s moon at least in Nathan Parker’s screenplay is a great place for mining, but the initial idea about earth’s inhabitants purging the lunar surface to meet an energy crisis only functions in establishing the film’s setting. Jones looks at space in the context of most film narrative space missions: something is bound to go wrong, and usually the consequences border somewhere between life-threatening, apocalyptic and more risk averse than losing a six figure tool kit not replaceable by something you’d find in a hardware store. Without going into sensitive plot lines, Rockwell does double duty in a storyline that explains why it will always take at least one human physically there for quality control purposes.

Jones’ prior experiences with commercial work serves him well here – both stylish and visually appealing, fans and non-fans of sci-fi will appreciate how the filmmaker, who also happens to be part of the David Bowie family tree, addresses how despite the vastness of space that there is not enough space for two, especially in the shape and form of bots, the HALS, the Gertys and possible clones of this world.

While Jones doesn’t go knee deep into the moral argument of artificial intelligence and chooses not to criticize how the individual fairs in the eyes of the corporation, he does make a side remark on how the human spirit is no entirely deposable. Merging miniature models with a set décor that convincingly dip viewers into a believable environment where moon mining is not the scariest proposition, but where solitary confinement and company profits are, the small budget film with big budget looks has a sense of humor that minces well with cinematographer Gary Shaw’s crispy white look. Moon works because it doesn’t take itself too seriously, it acknowledges it from the get-go and has fun with it by having Rockwell fully involved with the shtick and by supplementing it with Kevin Spacey’s voice work as the equivalent of HAL.

Reviewed at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival on January 16th.

Rating 3 stars