Moon

When I was a senior in High School my father and I went on a father-daughter camping trip in Yosemite. After we set up our camp for the night we were looking for something to do, so my father pulled out his flashlight and a paperback book full of Science Fiction short stories. My father wrote his own curriculum and taught a course in Science Fiction at his High School. It was a way to engage students and get them to consider and discuss contemporary social issues. Like Star Trek and the Twilight Zone, the top Science Fiction writers of the time, disguised current social issues in the guise of aliens and far off planets so that we would be able examine these ideas without attaching our prejudices and pre-conceived notions. By the end of the camping trip I was hooked on these stories and read all three volumes in the collection.

It has been a long time since I’ve seen a good Science Fiction story that excited me like those days. But Duncan Jones has written a good one. I won’t ruin the effect by telling you much of the story except to say that Sam Rockwell plays a corporate astronaut near the end of his three year contract. He has been alone on the moon for quite some time and has begun to have hallucinations.

Like the Science Fiction stories of the Sixties and Seventies, this film covers many relevant issues facing us today. Sam Rockwell is outstanding playing the lonely, confused astronaut. He must carry the entire film and he is totally up for the task. Kevin Spacey is the voice of the robot Gerty, Sam’s only companion. His vocal quality is reminiscent of Hal in 2001.

I really liked this film and I look forward to enjoying future projects by young Duncan Jones. Like his father David Bowie, his work is thought-provoking and extremely interesting. An excellent job all around.

Rating: First Run Sam Rockwell examines the question, is man meant to be alone?