The Film
At first glance it is hard not to ignore the comparisons to the classic 2001: A Space Odyssey - not to mention the trippy Silent Running - but instead Moon delivers a rather interesting story, just not one for the ages. Mere weeks prior to fulfilling his three-year contract as the sole worker in a mining colony on the moon, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) experiences an accident that could prove fatal in more ways than one. Upon waking up in the station's infirmary Sam begins to uncover a sinister secret behind his employer, and journeys through self-discovery. Sam's discovers that he's not he's not exactly alone, and that learning the truth could make it impossible for him ever to return home.
For another take on this one, Z. Peterson takes you straight to Moon!
The Picture
The thing about space is that it's black, and the dark side of the moon ever more so. This Blu-ray manages to present this with reasonably rich black levels, whilst the moon station is convincingly depicted in the 2.40:1 presentation. Although light on stellar special effects, the visual effects to bring Sam's discovery to life(s) is done quite convincingly. In fact, it is worth repeated views just for the striking visuals.
The Sound
The psychological thriller requires a number of sound scenarios. First, a sci-fi story in space requires space-like sounds, which are actually fairly silent. This was achieved in external scenes where many stories in space overdo explosions and other sound effects. On the station the movie requires dialog between the characters, which was always convincingly carried out. The disappointment, if there was one, is possibly Kevin Spacey as the station's computer. The performance came off as trying to sound too much like HAL from 2001: Space Odyssey. "How are you feeling Sam?" It was emulation rather than ownership of the performance.
The Extras
At first glance the special features might not seem that special. Writer/Director Duncan Jones must enjoy hearing himself speak because he participated in two commentary featurettes plus two Q&A sessions. There are segments on the making of the movie and the visual effects. Once you know "the reveal" the featurette on those sequences is interesting to see, and might be as enjoyable as the film! Additionally, while not listed on the package, but on the disc is a short film entitled "Whistle" also directed by Duncan Jones. The runtime for the 2002 short film is about 28 minutes and depicts an assassin who hits his targets through the use of satellite feeds and how he and his family adapt to living in a remote mountain village in Switzerland. As a short film, it never quite goes anywhere, but is worth a look on the Blu-ray.
Final Thoughts
For the issues it brings up about isolation and personal identity, Moon makes a powerful statement and interesting science fiction to boot. The lead character manages to be both selfish and selfless, sometimes at the same time. At the very least, Moon makes you think about the concepts of intense isolation and what it may mean to future workforces as well as the ethical implications of potential technological solutions to this problem. As with too few films set beyond the confines of Earth, this one doesn't get lost in space.
Product Details
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