Blog from the Future Past

There's a fine body of cinematic work based on someone alone in space and losing it: the best of these, Silent Running, Solaris, and of course Kubrick's iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey, to which Moon director Duncan Jones seems to pay more than passing homage in his new psychological thriller. Alone but for his computer companion, Gerty, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell, in a fine turn) maintains a mining facility on the Moon where robotic harvesters scrape the surface of the moon for Helium III, this future earth's main source of energy. Nearing the end of three-years of isolation, he has managed to keep himself busy with quirky hobbies and his structured routine, though lately he hasn't been feeling well and may be hallucinating. After a disabling, almost fatal accident while out in the field trying to repair one of the robotic harvesters, Sam awakens on a gurney in the outpost infirmary, as Gerty (Kevin Spacey, conjuring up his K-PAX voice) tends to his every need while answering none of his questions.

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is beside himself as the only man on the moon.

Once Sam is back on his feet there's someone else occupying the tiny crew quarters, someone who looks a lot like Sam before he started feeling lousy and began to lose it. Who is this? Is it Sam's imagination, perhaps an alien, an android... something else?

Despite for the fact Jones chooses to ignore the effects of the moon's low gravity in the indoor scenes, the plotline runs tight and the suspense builds ably while a horrible, twisted secret is gradually revealed.

Sam might survive: if he can escape company assassins sent to finish him off and then manage a clandestine return trip to earth.

But perhaps 'survival' isn't quite the right word, given his unique circumstances.

A well-executed drama in the mold of 2001, though GERTY is surely no HAL-9000. The Sci-Fi junkies among us can expect to be thoroughly entertained.

Rating: a lonely 3.5 out of 5
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