Here’s my quick review of Duncan Jones’ sci-fi Moon from the latest issue of jmag.
MOON
Directed by: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey
Almost every interview, article, or casual conversation about Moon must mention that its first-time director, Duncan Jones, is the son of David Bowie. (Hey, just like I’m doing now! Weird!) His film, though, is good enough to stand on its own.
Moon is a callback to the cerebral sci-fi of the 1970s. Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is serving out a three-year mining contract on a moonbase, alone except for a friendly robot named GERTIE (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Sam seems to be going understandably mad, leading to an accident and an impossible identity crisis.
Moon is almost a one-man-show, leaving Rockwell to carry the film on his twitchy shoulders. He pulls it off, too. Yes, there are some snags in storytelling logic, and an intrusive soundtrack by the usually capable Clint Mansell (Requiem For A Dream). When most sci-fi cinema has been co-opted by CGI spectacle, it’s always a pleasure to see one putting ideas ahead of explosions. Jones’ next film should be a doozy.
Other reviews by me this month: (500) Days of Summer, The Mighty Boosh box set, and Van Diemen’s Land. (You can read that last one over here).
Issue #33 is on sale now.