Review: Moon (2009)


MOON
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2009 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ***

"The power of the moon," intones the narrator in what appears to be a
television commercial advertising an energy company, "the power of the
future."  It's a future of clean energy, thanks to a certain mineral on the
moon.

On the dark side of the moon, a lone worker named Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell)
toils away, fixing any problems with the huge helium 3 automated harvesters,
which are mining the moon's energy source for the citizens of planet Earth.
Battling mental fatigue, Sam is really eager for the two weeks left on his
three year contract to be over, so that he can return to his family back on
Earth.

Sam has very limited contact with others.  The live link with Earth has been
down for years, since it was knocked out in a storm.  Periodically, his wife
and daughter do send him recorded video messages, which are relayed via a
link from Jupiter.  Of course, he sends them loving messages back.

The only "live" contact he has is with his robot (voiced by Kevin Spacey).
Ever chirpy and helpful, the robot communicates with a sweet and reassuring
voice, as well as through smiley faces on its video screen that vary from
happy faces to sad ones and everything in-between.

Rockwell's performance is a real tour de force and nothing like the comedic
role in his other main sci-fi film, GALAXY QUEST.  But, regardless of the
quality of his acting, MOON does have problems.  It is very hard to sustain
a one-person drama for the entire length of a motion picture.  These
difficulties are exacerbated by director Duncan Jones's story, which is
essentially just a short story.  Not a lot happens in what proves to be a
very simple plot.

As Sam tries to kill the time until his contract is over, he starts seeing
things.  Or does he?  Is he losing his marbles or is something weird going
on?  The answer is quite surprising, as is the movie's ending resolution to
Sam's increasing predicaments.  But, as intriguing as it is at times,
overall the film makes its running time feel much longer than it is, as we
experience some of the same tedium that appears to be driving Sam crazy.

MOON runs 1:37.  It is rated R for "language" and would be acceptable for
kids around 10 and up.

The film opens in limited release in the United States on Friday, June 19,
2009.  In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Cinemark theaters.

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