MOON

UK, 2009, 98 minutes, Colour.
Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey.
Directed by Duncan Jones.

On the 40th anniversary of the first mission for humans to walk on the moon comes this rather modest moon story, with the straightforward title of Moon.

The moon setting, the space station and the surface of the moon, suggest an authentic story from the future. In fact, the film opens with an advertisement from a company which harvests Helium 3 from the moon and supplies earth with all the energy it needs. However, the plant itself is run by one man on his own for a term of three years. The film takes up its story as a three year term is coming to an end for Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell). The isolation is taking its toll, although he does have the support of a voice computer named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Visual messages between earth and moon are possible but in delay mode, not direct. Sam has a wife and daughter.

Obviously, all is not as it seems and, after an accident in his moon truck, Sam is confronted by another Sam Bell (Rockwell again) who is younger, more aggressive and more questioning. This leads the plot into themes of cloning and cryogenics. It also raises the issues of moon exploration and exploitation, greed and corporate disregard for individuals.

There are many echoes of 2001: a Space Odyssey (which was released the year before the landing on the moon). So, this film is more 'realistic' than 'poetic'. The director, Duncan Jones (who, in fact, is the son of David Bowie, which has nothing to do with the film itself), pays homage to the science fiction of the past while suggesting a critique of economics and exploitation of the present.

1.The decision of Earth and moon stories? 1960 and the walk on the moon? The experience of the moon? A futuristic interpretation?

2.The images of the Earth and the moon? The opening advertisement and helium giving energy for the earth, harvested on the moon? The setting for the exploration of the moon? Industry?

3.The visuals of the moonscapes, the space station, the laboratory, the trucks, the surface of the moon, the helium processor and harvester? The technology in the space station? The musical score, orchestrated, piano?

4.The interiors, futuristic? Gerty and Kevin Spacey’s voice, intonations, echoes of 2001 and Hal? The interactions between Sam and Gerty? The cryogenics and the cloning?

5.The company, contact with Earth, the executives talking with Sam? The messaging back to Earth, messages to his wife, from his wife? The live contact – and the realisation that years had passed, his wife was dead, his daughter grown up?

6.Sam Bell as a character, his initial appearance, hair and beard, his work, almost three years? His talking with Gerty, Gerty and support? Driving the truck, his way of life, the television, meals, his imagination and hallucination, sexual, dreams? The accident and its effect? His burning his hand? Recovery? Unable to remember what happened? The end of his work?

7.The new Sam and Sam Rockwell’s performance as his alter-ego? Younger, more angry? The two Sams interacting, talk, fighting? The search for the hidden room? The breaking of the model? Sam and his diligence with building the model? The second Sam settling down, the plan?

8.The character of Gerty, the voice, helping, knowing everything, participating in the plans, the contact with the company bosses?

9.The old Sam, his deteriorating, his search, finding the clones?

10.The reality of cloning, both Sams as clones? Gerty and knowing this, explaining?

11.The younger Sam, hiding, the plan to go to Earth? The old Sam giving up his dream, collapsing and dying? The importance of his talk with Eve, knowing that Tess was dead?

12.The younger Sam, concealing himself, going to Earth – and the final voice-over, people puzzled by him, considering him an illegal.?

13.A parable about exploration of space, exploitation of space, economics, the little value of people? Cloning and its exploitation? The role of artificial intelligence? A film of entertainment and warning?