Review of Moon (2009) by Chris W — 21 Jan 2013

I'm so fascinated by this movie. It is trying to be a lot like 2001, and there's nothing wrong with that. It comes nowhere close, but it's in the same general area. It's one of those thought provoking and intellgient sci-fi films that are more about existential issues and not visceral mayhem. In a way, this is a welcome relief. The movie does feel a little underbaked though, but the potential for greatness is definitely there.

There is a lack of scientific realism, and the movie kind of feels a little pointless and inconsequential, but there's some interesting stuff going on here. Don't expect it to be realistic, and try to be cool with a fair amount of filler, and you'll probably like this movie.

There's not much plot, and not much action, but that didn't bother me. It has a dark unnerving atmosphere to it, and mood and tension are the main proprities here anyway. The visual scheme and set direction are really nice, and Sam Rockwell does a great job. He basically has to. He's gotta carry the whole film essentialy. Kevin Spacey lends his voice, but he's not heard as much as you might think.

This is not a film for everyone. Like I said, there's a good amount of filler, it's not super slow, but it's not fast paced, either. Also, not a lot happens, and most of the focus is on one guy being bored and getting involved with an eerie mystery. If you want a different type of sci-fi movie though, then check this one out. It's a spiritual relative to movies like 2001 and Solaris, but it's a bit more accessible.