Sam Bell has been on the moon for nearly three years. He's about to rejoin his family on Earth. He seems to be starting to develop a twitch. Has the years of loneliness made him lose his mind? He ventures out onto the surface to fix a mining vehicle and has an accident. When Sam wakes up, he ventures back out and finds someone who looks just like him.
Sam Rockwell (CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND) plays the dual role as Sam Bell and the second Sam Bell. The second Sam Bell is cocky and angered by the existence of the original scruffy Sam, who seems very calm about having a doppelganger. Second Sam wants to discover the truth. Their A.I. computer GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey, THE USUAL SUSPECTS) might know the answers, but has conflicting programming. The original Sam wants to ignore the new Sam and just get back to his wife Tess (Dominique McElligott, LEAP YEAR) and daughter Eve (Rosie Shaw).
Part of the joy of the film is to let the answers be revealed as the story unfolds. But I must say that the truth is ingenious. Duncan Jones, who directed and created the story that Nathan Parker turned into the screenplay, does the right thing and doesn't string the answers out until the last minute. The big reveal comes about half way and then the story deals with the emotional implications of the truth.
Jones creates a space station with its typical clinical white design. But it's rough and messy around the edges. The combination creates a perfect unsettling feeling. The clean looking station comments of the heartless mission Sam is on, while his presence is seen everywhere in the worn and messy equipment.
Rockwell gives a touching performance as the two Sams. The first Sam is worn down by his years in space. He looks like a man who is ready for a long rest. He is humble and misses his loved ones greatly. As the second Sam, the man is confident with a quick fuse. He is also determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. But watch how he changes when the truth is revealed. It's key to the success of the final half of the film.
Rockwell carries the film, but Spacey's voice is perfect for the dutiful robot assistant. His performance harkens back to HAL from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, but a gentler version. GERTY is programmed to protect Sam, which is what makes him the opposite of HAL in the end.
MOON tells an original sci-fi yarn, but mines the emotional ramifications of that plot. How would you feel if you were away from your family for three years? How would you react? That is the emotional base. Everything that comes after just makes those questions all the more heartbreaking.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
