DVD Reviews

Moon - Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jan 12, 2010, 14:36 GMT

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is nearing the completion of his 3-year-long contract with Lunar Industries, mining Earth\'s primary source of energy on the dark side of the moon. Alone with only the base\'s vigilant computer Gerty (voiced by Oscar-Winner Kevin Spacey, 1999 Best Actor, American Beauty) as his sole companion, Bell\'s extended isolation has taken its toll. His only link to the outside world comes from satellite messages from his ...more

The moon is the new mining ground for a valuable mineral and somebody has to stick around and make sure everything is running.  That man finds that his isolation may have driven him mad or had it?

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) works for Lunar Industries on the moon.  It appears that the moon contains a mineral called Helium 3 that the Earth now depends on for its power.  Most of the mining is automated and done by gigantic Zamboni-like robots that drive across the lunar surface scouring the lunar soil for the mineral.  When enough is found it’s shot back to Earth on a rocket.  ***iimage3:center***

Sam is towards the end of a three year contract and wants to get back to Earth to see his wife and daughter.  His only companion is the robotic minder GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey).  They have little real-time contact with Earth due to a satellite failure and their messages are all recorded. 

With two weeks to go on his contract, Sam starts to see things and ends up having an accident on the lunar surface.  He awakens in the infirmary with GERTY tending to his wounds.  He gets suspicious when GERTY won’t let him go out of the base.  He tricks the robot and goes out to examine the damaged harvester, finds an injured astronaut in the wreckage of the harvester, and is surprised to discover that he’s rescued… Sam Bell.  

Moon rises and falls on the shoulders of one man as it’s mostly a one man show.  That burden is aptly shouldered by Sam Rockwell.  Moon has the feel of a spiritual sequel or cousin to 2001 as the look and technology harkens back to that Kubrick classic (as nearly every sci-fi movie after it does anyway). 

Moon accomplishes this on a slender budget that relies on the performance of the star and the quality of the script.  Luckily both are superb and adds some flavor to a familiar sci-fi premise.  I don’t know that I can talk too much about the plot without spoiling it for you, but Sam Rockwell plays the dual role with both pathos and gusto. 

Those mysteries unspool deliberately and keep us interested in just what is going on.  It’s as mesmerizing as sitting in the backyard staring up at the heavens on which the film is set.  It’s a full experience, not a quarter or a half. 

Just don’t expect any shirtless vampires or werewolves, just quality acting and script done on a shoestring.  In other words, good old fashioned movie making.  

Moon is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.40:1).  Special features include two commentary tracks. The first is from writer/director Duncan Jones, director of photography Gary Shaw, concept designer Gavin Rothery, and production designer Tony Noble. 

The second is from Jones and producer Stuart Fenegan.  Also included is Jones’ short film Whistle (28 minutes, standard definition), the 16 minute “Making of Moon” (standard definition), the 11 minute “Creating the Visual Effects” (standard definition), a 20 minute Q&A at the Houston Space Center with Jones (high definition), and an 11 minute filmmaker’s Q&A at the Sundance Film Festival (high definition).  There are also trailers for other Sony films and the disc is BD-Live enhanced.  

Moon is a fulfilling experience.  Some of the seams do show (I swear GERTY looks like cardboard several times) but it’s the acting and the fine script that pulls you back into the orbit of this shining film.

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