Today’s quick review: Moon. Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), a technician for Lunar Industries, is nearing the end of his three-year stint at a Helium-3 harvesting station on the far side of the Moon. His only companion is Gerty (Kevin Spacey), his doting robotic assistant. But the solitude is beginning to affect his mind, manifesting as disorientation and strange visions. To make it back to his family on Earth, Sam just has to keep himself together for three more weeks.
Moon is a minimalistic science fiction drama with psychological thriller elements. With a simple sci-fi premise and an excellent twist early in the film, Moon shows off the dramatic potential of the science fiction genre. The movie captures the eeriness of being alone and offers up a tantalizing mystery, all without descending into horror. The writing exhibits focus, attention to character, and rock-solid progression, eliminating the need for much action.
Sam Rockwell pulls off a difficult feat with his performance as Sam Bell, carrying the movie almost entirely by himself. Everything from the way Sam talks to the way he spends his free time paints a picture of an ordinary man doing his best under taxing circumstances. Sam comes across as a person, not an archetype, a feat all the more impressive given that the movie does not focus on emotional drama.
Watch Moon if you are in the mood for realistic science fiction with a well-developed mystery. Fans of the story side of sci-fi should go out of their way to see Moon, particularly fans of The Martian, Interstellar, and Oblivion. Skip it if you dislike sci-fi or prefer the action side of the genre.
7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for minimalistic, engaging science fiction.