Going in to Moon, I was unsure of what I was getting myself into. Considering the very limited release I had seen the trailer once, knew I wanted to see it, but had no idea what it was really going to be about. In the end, I guess it did matter much as I knew it would be something I would be into.
In the near future, possibly the same world that 2001 was 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, ensuring everything runs smoothly, tends to maintenance and repairs, but otherwise is left to entertain himself in the well-stocked base.
Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is nearing the end of his contract, and it could come soon enough. The man is on the verge of breaking down. Three years in isolation, save the HAL-like presence of the base computer GERTY (voice of Kevin Spacey), can be trying on a person's mind. Sam is beginning to see things as he goes about his day. Is he losing his mind? No, h is just tiring of being so utterly alone, his only connection with Earth being recorded messages from his wife and his superiors. Sounds like enough to drive anyone batty.
One day, Sam heads out in a rover to investigate a potential problem with one of the automated mining vehicles. En route, same gets distracted resulting in a bad accident. Sam then wakes up in sick bay on the base, wondering what happened. This is where it begins to get strange. As you know from the trailer, another Sam shows up on the base. Is this a copy? A figment of his fractured imagination? Something else altogether?
This is the sort of movie that the wrong detail given in the right place can ruin it for the potential viewer. So, with that said, I am going to decline to give any more hard details. This is the kind of film that is best to see clean, avoid whatever detail you can and allow the film to work its magic.
Much of the credit needs to be given to Sam Rockwell. He gives a powerful, multifaceted performance that will make affect you. He perfectly embodies the fractured persona of Sam Bell. Quite simply, he carries the emotional weight of the movie, a quietly charismatic and easy going presence on the screen delivering a performance you will not be able to look away from.
Bottomline. Powerful movie, one that everyone should see, although I suspect many will not be able to become absorbed by it. It is a quiet, slow moving film that does not go in the direction that I expected. It is a case of a story being told the way it wants to be told rather than by the expectations.
Highly recommended.
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