Moon

Am I sitting in a tin can

Far above the moon

Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...

Those lyrics belong to David Bowie's 1972 classic "Space Oddity". Did they in part inspire his son, Duncan Jones, to write and direct 2009's MOON? It is said (and pretty obvious) that Jones was paying homage to the great 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY in addition to some of the more thoughtful outer space epics like SOLARIS and SILENT RUNNING. Jones himself states that he was going for the distinct feel of sci-fi from the late 70s and early 80s. To support that, and despite a low budget, I found shades of ALIEN, OUTLAND, and BLADE RUNNER in his movie. And not only in the set design.

Sam (Sam Rockwell) is a technician on the far side of the moon, keeping weary eyes on the machines that harvest Helium-3, plentifully derived from the lunar surface. His job is to send cannisters filled with H3 to Earth, where it is used as an efficient, clean fuel. MOON opens with a mock advertisement for Sam's employer, Lunar Industries, as it explains how the moon's supply of the element has solved the Earth's dilemma of its search for abundant, nontoxic energy.

Sam is nearing the conclusion of a 3-year stint, eagerly anticipating the return home to his family, to meet the daughter with whom his wife was pregnant when he began the mission. He watches delayed video transmissions from his wife (real time communique is rarely possible due to satellite snafus) and they provide hope and comfort. But each day emerges something troubling. Sam begins detecting edits in the videos. He also has visions of a young girl inside the station and outside while he drives a rover over the moon's surface. One day, he gets distracted and crashes and awakens in the ship's infirmary.

There to tend to him is GERTY, a robot programmed with artificial intelligence, voiced by Kevin Spacey. I don't believe it is an accident that he reminded me of the HAL 9000. Sam learns from GERTY that he had an accident and requires neurologic tests. Shortly after this, Sam will begin to learn why things just haven't seemed right lately. He will spy GERTY having a live transmission with corporate heads. There will be a curious arrival, and an even more curious discovery in a hidden bay. The answer, when disclosed, is a turning point in this tale that would be criminal to reveal to those who've yet to see this movie. I find it hard to give MOON a thorough analysis without spilling the beans, but let's see...

Jones very deftly steers this story into some dense philosophical areas while remaining true to pure science fiction. Neither element is compromised. As Sam discovers what is really occurring, how much time has actually passed, and what of who he thought he was, MOON becomes a richly layered story and essay. The very nature of the perception of identity is the core of the movie, with added pointed barbs at the dehumanization that occurs when one is part of a corporate machine. Sam may be facilitating the delivery of something positive, something healthy for his home planet, but at the cost of himself.

When you discover MOON's central secret, the theme of identity becomes exponentially deeper. This secret involves something that has been controversial in the medical, social, theological, and political arenas for some time. Man vs. machine is quite central, but what distinguishes one from the other becomes more nebulous as the film continues.

MOON is a film for those who like replay scenes in their mind's eye long afterwards, to allow elusive themes to emerge. To make connections. Not so much in terms of events but ideas. It works on the level of a great short story penned by Pohl or Bester or Asimov, along with splendid visuals and a feel for the boredom one would doubtless experience in such isolation. Perfect breeding ground for the mind to wander. As you watch, you'll learn Sam is and is not all alone, in many possible senses.