All The More Reason To See This Movie
I've been looking forward to seeing this movie for the last several months, but as expected it passed by my State and I will have to settle for DVD. But Chris Knipp has only increased my desire to get a hold of this movie as I suspected I would need to. Hopefully others won't pass up the opportunity to get their hands on a copy.
A Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller of the Human Kind
Moon (2009)
Viewed 2/4/2010. Reviewed 2/5/2010.
[Warning - This review contains implicit spoilers].
MOON is about a single lunar mining operator who discovers after three years and near the end of this contract that he is not alone on the moon. The main premise of this movie that there would only be one human being overseeing such a crucial mining operation of the major fuel source of earth is somewhat "outlandish" to begin with but as the movie progresses, such questions transform into a mystery that resolves itself nicely by the end of the movie. The core theme of this movie which is hidden for more than half the movie is used to eventually transform this movie into a psychological sci-fi mystery thriller. This movie takes plot ideas from SOYLENT GREEN (1973), OUTLAND (1981), BLADE RUNNER (1982), and THE MATRIX (1999). It would have been fascinating if plot ideas from MULTIPLICITY (1996) couldn't have been used to lighten things up periodically during the movie to balance the overall tone of it. The movie begins to gain focus around 44 minutes becoming more a directive mystery/conspiracy genre, the energy and the pertinent questions/hypotheses are raised...as the movie elements seem to finally converge, repair and mitigate most of the earlier weak components of the movie by its end. By the hour and 10 minute mark, one of the pivotal moments of the movie occurs and it's genuinely human in nature (not any spooky, scary, alien revelation) raising several delicate emotional human ethical quandaries that are relevant in today's society or will soon be. The ending of the movie is tension filled, believable for the most part and there's even a brief scene similar to the ending portion of 2001 in a space pod. There is a definite sense of completion by the of the movie that is satisfying and rewarding that builds scene by scene until the final shot.
One of the crucial elements of this movie is the lunar station's interactive computer, GERTY'S role and is one of the most fascinating components of this movie as voiced by Kevin Spacey. Initially, there is also the fascinating juxtaposition of HAL 2000 Computer from 2001: A SPACE ODYESSY (1968) and GERTY in this movie and the human element in both movies. The failure of GERTY to respond in several scenes suggests something off balance, and a little later there's the brief flash recording on the monitor of an old playback shot. Several puzzling questions stand out during this movie - Can GERTY detect from visual cues, possible human feelings and veracity of human verbal comments? GERTY'S statement that Sam is "full of it" seems a bit out of computer personality character. Then there's the mysterious GERTY communication with central and a more direct parallel with 2001 and HAL 2000 that lends to the building ominous tone of the movie that will be explained later in the movie.
Some very nice movie elements:
Opening sequence is a nice introduction/voice-over narrative in the form of a corporate marketing advertisement.
The lunar station set has striking resemblance to the sharp, brilliant white 2001: A Space Odyssey and ALIEN (1979) set design images. There's a nice brief rocket ejection shot scene that's startlingly different. There is even a parallel resemblance between televised communications between family members and those in outer space in both 2001 and MOON, particularly early in both movies (the present time segments) and even references to birthdays in both movies.
Initially the moonscape looked overly artificial and model-like but as the movie progressed, the moon scenes began to capture a richness and vibrancy all to themselves.
Some great sci fi details are used in this movie. Oddly enough there is a weak resemblance to THE JETSONS (1962 television cartoon series), particularly with the hair grooming scene. There's the use of the "clapper" to turn off an old television show. The food processing seems actually quite familiar, refreshingly realistic, though also suggestive of 2001. The dirty stains around SAM's bed is a nice touch for the set design. During the climactic scenes, there's a belated but nice but authentic looking lunar moon hop and walk.
Movie problems:
Then there's a perceptive "hallucination" early on in the movie in the same weird fashion reminiscent of SOLARIS (2002) though this plot line isn't followed through in this movie.
Sam says in an early scene that he's going to out right after he finishes he's coffee but he's already putting on his helmet and preparing to go outside, a odd statement.
Then there's the unexpected and sudden space rover accident that seems a bit hard to accept and then the sudden change to the infirmary unit without explanation...how long can the unbelievable be sustained? The lack of Sam's curiosity about his being rescued is dismaying and distracting, somewhat unnatural.
Sam's resistance to Central orders to stay inside is somewhat suspect as a script device, particularly in light of the lack of sufficient character development to establish his attitude and behavior. Unlike 2001, the behavior of the crew was predictable and explainable in terms of human experience. There is no real set up or connection with the audience as to Sam's behavior except feeling rebellious to being treated like a "child." Doe Sam have space fever?
The interaction between GERTY and Sam about going outside doesn't seem acceptable in terms of how a computer, even with programmed personality, would react...the digital logic is fixed and human negotiation isn't part of the authentic playbook for this movie as the movie was set-up. Also hasn't GERTY the ability to microscopically exam and realize, distinguish between micro-meteorite holes and a human tooled break? No HAL 2000 reading lips here. How can Sam get to proceed with a space rover without GERTY's intervention and override? There isn't any GERTY communication protests nor attempts to stop the rover by remote.
Examination of moon tracks that can be undisturbed for millions of years isn't even focused on during the initial trip back to the mining hauler. And later in the movie, again the rover tire tracks that leave suspicious evidence of something going on.
Subsequent scenes with Sam seem unrealistic after his rescue and then the next message from his wife also seems more exploitative and convenient for effect instead of what would typically actually occur - such messages being likely monitored by central and such thoughts and feelings would likely occur much later when Sam is on earth. The evolution of Sam's wife's messages also seem oddly out of phase with the nature of this movie and would more likely have been more effective if the nature and tone of the all the messages from his wife had been more balanced and hopeful in nature until the end.
There's an illogical, weird conversion between Sam and GERTY. There's also Sam's normal working out (exercising) weirdness.
There's a messed up personal space room that is never explained and shown how it got that way. The scene becomes a hodgepodge of plot points that don't add up or connect.
The issue of cloning, memories, and personalities is tested in the various scenes and it's hard to believe in the disparity...though there are some similar dialogues that take place particularly with GERTY in the infirmary. Divergent thinking processes, feelings, reactions...in that three years would still likely be modest. It would have been helped immensely if some of this had played out with the wife's messages even more as a possible explanation of clone differences. A missed opportunity here. The table tennis scenes would have been so much more effective if ping pong had been used at the beginning of the movie, another overlooked opportunity). The personality difference are so stark...It's more like looking at an old STAR TREK episode where Captain Kirk split into two Kirk's by a malfunctioning transporter (The Enemy Within,1966).
GERTY's inabiilty to respond to questions is also bewildering as is Sam's willingness to accept or avoid looking further into the truth. These scenes do raise from emotional and sensitively moving thoughts and ethical dilemmas, but motivations remain murky and awareness among the Sam's as regarding for example his wife is also fuzzily off-balance.
The ultimate sleeping arrangements seem never to be revealed.
A hunt begins, but what about architectural and mechanical, electronic designs and schematics for human repair work...? to assist in this exploration. There also seemed to be several other moon structures when the moon landscape has been shown, what about them?
Then there's the altercation, a bit over the top and also strangely disquieting as to personalities, past memories and emotions - this a large disconnect between clones, not accounted for...reactions are too far apart, especially with the miniature town's demise. And where's GERTY in all this, conveniently out of the picture so minutes on end who is supposed to be taking care of Sam? The subsequent personality reversal is also irritatingly off-kilter...unless both these Sam's are bi-polar.
There's also an expanded room scene using fake background illustrations, though a bit better than those in the next to last episode (a haunting one at that) of the original STAR TREK - "All Our Yesterdays" (1969) and the corridor of vast computer library.
Wow GERTY begins to explain in the 50th minute - what a shocking awareness. Pretty sci fi. Yet the explanations only answer "half" the questions raised.
As to why Sam doesn't completely confide as to what is going on and what he has found out seems more like a script device designed to create unnecessary turmoil...typical in horror films... at least there's "replay" I guess for the full intensity of the initial affect and even this little revelation is cut short in the movie to disappointing effect.