"Moon" is good science fiction with an indie appeal (4.5/5)

Usually when a science fiction film comes along, it's usually at the behest of a major film studio and features state of the art special effects. In addition to special effects, more often than not the film boasts a big cast and extravagant ambition. As far as "Moon" is concerned, the film is without a doubt ambitious, but it's ambition lies in its use and isolation of a singular character, something that is more in tune with an indie drama than a science fiction film.

Written and directed by Duncan Jones, "Moon" tells the tale of Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), a man finishing up a 3 year stay on the Moon for a corporation that uses Sam as a means to harvest fragments of the Moon to generate energy for Earth. Needless to say, Sam is on a solo mission, aside for a computer companion (who has a voice delivered by Kevin Spacey) that is on par with Hal 9000 from Stanley Kubrick's "A Space Odyssey",that is starting to weigh on him in ways that affect him both physically and psychologically. From the lack of fulfilling food, Sam is becoming emaciated. From the lack of human contact, Sam is starting to talk to himself, as well as his plants who he seemingly has constructed an imaginary soap opera world for. In another words, Sam is slowly losing touch with reality just as he's about to get back in touch with humanity. Yet, things begin to take a turn for the worse when Sam encounters a human being who looks just like him. Now, I don't want to spoil the next plot point because it sets the rest of the film up and the film takes a path that was pretty unexpected. The path that lies ahead ultimately takes a look at the effects of loneliness and the coping mechanisms that develop from within, as well as the philosophical understanding of what it means to be alive and the ability of having one's own distinct identity.

These introspective and philosophical angles are obviously interesting sticking points, but ultimately the film has to have a tremendous performance from Rockwell in order for it to truly succeed. After all, the film doesn't feature a massive story. Instead it features a much more intimate and isolated tale that is reminiscent of "Cast Away", where almost all of the film is built on a character who is practically an island. And much like Tom Hanks performance in "Cast Away", Sam Rockwell's performance delivers on every front and it's Sam's performance that makes each scene resonate and pop with depth. Whether it's a scene where he's talking to his plants or one where he's having a conversation with his doppelganger, Rockwell is able to embody the loneliness and desperation his character explicitly renounces. Without Rockwell, the film would have lost its emotional core and would have been just another neat looking independent film. But, when it's all said and done, we get a great film that does in fact look neat. It uses great effects and muted colors to not only place us on the Moon, but also deep within the heart of Sam's brooding state of mind. When the effects are coupled with a simple theme by Clint Mansell, "Moon" becomes a film that creates a cold and lonely world that will challenge you in the very same way that it challenges its one and only character.