Moon (2009)

Directed by: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell

***

Moon is one of the most difficult movies I've ever had to review. From start to finish, the film reveals new and intriguing aspects of its plot and to delve too deep into any of them would ruin the experience it brings. What I can say is that I'm not sure if Moon is a great movie because I'm not sure if director Duncan Jones really accompished what he was trying to do. Because I'm not sure is why I believe he didn't succeed but it also suggests that he was close enough to make me question it.

One thing I can talk about is the very interesting performance of Sam Rockwell. Calling it interesting is not necessarily suggesting that its anything but good but without giving too much away, there is some trick photography going on in this film and for the majority of the film, Rockwell acts against himself.  Whether its split personality, or he's crazy or has a twin or what remains to be scene, but Rockwell 1 is very, very good. Rockwell 2 isn't as good. Part of this is because Rockwell 1 is a much more obvious part to play and allows for more freedom in the character. Rockwell 2 is more subdued. This kind of suggests that Rockwell played each character exactly the way they should have been played but I don't know if that was necessarily the case. It always looked like more effort was put into one.

The only other character in this film was Hal... I mean, Gertie.  A robot voiced by the incredibly distracting Kevin Spacey. This was by far the worst and most annoying part of this film. Not to mention it tuDunrned out to be kind of unnecessary.  Jones tried to add any kind of debth to Gertie by having little smiley face expressions suggesting how the robot was feeling.  That was just kind of childish and goofy and in the context of what really is a very serious movie with themes about loss, abandonment, lonliness and dilusions... the yellow smiley face didn't really work for me. Knowing Kevin Spacey's voice was also distracting. Gertie would have been much more effective if it were unrecognizable.

What else can I talk about...? Set design was very good, but at this point in the technological film world, a good stage setup doesn't really garner up interest anymore.  Moon is a good movie. Its not a great movie. I think it really had the potential however. Duncan Jones knows how to do a lot of things right. Suspense, drama, excitement and mystery are all present in this film. Bringing all those elements full circle is what he was missing. Yet, as I said, he wasn't far off and I look forward to more of his work.