Review: Moon

It’s true, good science fiction films are hard to come by these days. To be honest, the last time I was enamored by a sci–fi flick was Sunshine, and that was over two years ago. Fast forward to 2009, and we find a new gem, Moon, directed by Duncan Jones (who is coincidentally, the son of The Man Who Fell to Earth, David Bowie).

While Jones is new to feature films, he handles the job masterfully while Sam Rockwell completes the puzzle in this seemingly one–man show.

The premise is simple: as the lone worker at Lunar Industries’ moon station, Sam Bell is nearing the end of his three–year commitment to man the remote outpost. Where the story takes us from there goes on to explore the nature of the human condition, reality, and purpose.

Certain elements are predictable, and although the film pays homage (or what some may argue to be a bit more than just homage) to many beloved films of the genre, it is the journey that Jones takes us on that makes the entire experience worthwhile. Emotionally speaking, you are right–there with our protagonist Sam, constantly floating between empathy and sympathy, elation and heartbreak. In such a remote setting, being cut–off from the world that you know for such a long time causes everything to shift: time, actions, environments, etc. And even beyond that, it begs the question of, “If you are completely severed and apart from the world, what defines you and your existence?“ The fact that the movie can do all of this without heavy handed expositions or underestimating its audiences intelligence is part of what makes this movie, as well as the efforts of Jones and Rockwell, so exemplary.

Find More Information: Official Site, Trailer at Apple.com