Moon – A Film by Duncan Jones

Intelligent, Exciting Science Fiction Film for Summer 2009

Jul 13, 2009

A British made sci-fi film starring Sam Rockwell as an astronaut beset with cabin fever as his 3 year stint working on the moon draws to a close

Moon Director Duncan Jones deserves all the accolades that could possibly come his way for this stunning, beautifully realised sci-fi film, made on a budget of just $5 million. It seems almost unfair to bring it up, because every newspaper in the land is doing it at the moment, but Jones was actually born Zowie Bowie, the son of David Bowie and his first wife Angela. Jones himself chose to adopt a much more subtle, down-to-earth name, but now he's making his mark no-one seems to be able to let go of the fact he was born a Bowie. But perhaps there is a good reason to dwell on Jones' famous heritage. After all, with Ziggy Stardust for a father one can't help thinking that a love of stars, space and science fiction runs in the veins.

Sam Rockwell is Astounding in Moon

Moon is a thrilling and intelligent film. It is dominated by the performance of Sam Rockwell, whose role as the lonely, isolated astronaut, enduring a 3 year stint mining valuable helium 3 from the moon, is a career best. Rockwell is really given ample opportunity to flex his acting muscles as the astronaut Sam Bell. He's at the end of his 3 year long-haul shift, looking forward to going home and seeing his wife and child, when things begin to take a turn for the worse. Sam begins hallucinating, leading him to make some potentially dangerous mistakes. After so long on the moon with only artificial intelligence GERTY (voiced in perfectly eerie monotony by Kevin Spacey) to talk to, has the psychological toll become too much for Sam?

Moon is a Tremendous and Original Film Experience

Moon becomes a real edge-of-the seat thriller, as Sam desperately tries to work out what's going on before it's too late and his tenure comes to an end. The tension and mystery about what's really happening builds and builds to a mesmerizing climax. Yet Moon is so much more than a spine-chiller in space. It is a most satisfying and unique experience. A mix of art and action, a moving examination of loneliness and claustrophobia, and heady concoction of recognisable homages to classics of the science fiction genre. Moon is a multi-layered experience that is both engrossing and genuinely moving.

Moon Wins Michael Powell Award

Moon has already made quite a splash on the festival circuit, picking up plaudits at Sundance and winning the prestigious Michael Powell award at the 2009 Edinburgh International Film Festival – an award presented annually to the best new British feature film. The jury, headed up by Atonement director Joe Wright, said the following, “We award Moon for its singular vision and remarkably assured direction as well as for the inspired manner in which it transcends genre. The central performance by Sam Rockwell embodies the film's emotional complexity and compelling philosophical perspective." Which sums the film up quite beautifully.

Further Info: Readers may be interested to know Sam Rockwell is slated to star with Tim Roth in Alexandre Rockwell's Pete Smalls is Dead. And here's a link to the rather brilliant trailer for Moon. Other British films that may be of interest include Man On Wire and Looking For Eric.

The copyright of the article Moon – A Film by Duncan Jones in British Films is owned by Michelle Strozykowski. Permission to republish Moon – A Film by Duncan Jones in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.