Moon – Blu-ray Review

The Film:

The science-fiction genre as always been genre that has gone hand-in-hand with special effects, mostly because it has to, but the more successful sci-fi films put story first, and special effects are used as an aid to the story. I think with the emergence of CG in the early ’90s, when special effects really took over, many science-fiction spectacles went for the eye instead of the mind. There is so much more to science-fiction than alien invasions, explosions, and robots, and while I think those can be fine, something I think was clearly lost was the science in the fiction. Now, there has been gems sprinkled throughout the years that are thoughtful, engaging, and interesting science-fiction films (Primer, Dark City) and you can add Moon to that shortlist.

Science-fiction can engage an audience in using ideas that aren’t too far-fetched. Moon, directed by first timer Duncan Jones, is more of a science-fiction drama. Sam Rockwell anchors the film by playing Sam, an astronaut marooned on the Moon for 3 years mining its resources to replace the ones we used up on Earth. Jones perfectly thrusts us into this near future with a fun, fake commercial showing what as happened to Earth’s resources and what is being done about it. After the prologue, we immediately know all we need to, so we can accept the film’s world. In so many science-fiction films, screenwriters spend most of the film using exposition to explain the whys and whats of what we are seeing, and thankfully, Jones has bypassed this. The story in Moon isn’t out of the realm of possibility, also adding to our acceptance of this future.

The film plays with Sam’s isolation, showing him doing routines and mundane hobbies. The film damns typical sci-fi conventions like action and spectacle to play with Sam’s increasing descent into madness, or what appears to be, as he is slowly starting to see things. This is what I meant by the drama aspect of my coined term, science-fiction drama. Not helping is Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey), an all knowing robot, like a kissing cousin to HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey. In fact, the film plays homage directly to that film, minus the Kubrick existentialism. Moon really kicks in after an accident causes Sam to blackout, only for Gerty to not explain what happened or why there’s another person now hanging around.

The film offers up some great ideas, and plays well after the viewing. Most sci-fi fans will think about what the film has presented, a pleasant present the film gives us, making it a film worth thinking about. But the real problem is that while Duncan offers up some interesting scenarios and ideas, the follow through is a little limp. Where the film needed to follow-up on the escalation of tension and drama, it peters out. It’s a mild misstep, one we can easily ignore, for Duncan has crafted a solid, little science-fiction film that is engaging for the eyes and mind. The focus is on ideas and here, claustrophobia, anchored in by a very game Sam Rockwell, and a beautiful score (aren’t they always?) by Clint Mansell, makes Moon a destination worth traveling too.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: For a science-fiction film, Moon isn’t the most visually interesting film out there, but this beautiful transfer goes along way to make it a visual treat. The Moon terrain is richly detailed and almost three-dimensional in terms of quality. Jones used a lot grays that make Sam’s existence in the station seem drab, and this transfer makes the sterile environment look amazingly sharp and crisp. Of course, the little bit of color in the film pops out, as black levels and other details are finely rendered.

The film has a really great sound design, something one can easily over-look when they saw it theatrically. This DTS track is pin-point precise in engulfing us in Sam’s world. Mansell’s score electrifies, as does the little bits of buzzer noises, clanks, clings, and other ambient noises. Sony Pictures did a superb job here.

Commentaries: We get two tracks here, one is with Jones, and his crew: the DP, Concept Designer, and Production Designer, and the other is with Jones and just his producer. The first track is full of talk about the story, set life, and other little tidbits. It’s a decent, but light track. The better is the second as they rattle off a lot of informative insight between the two. Film fans and Moon fans will fully dig this one.

The Making of Moon: Oddly, not in HD, this is pretty standard issue EPK, with spoilers of all things, so watch out.

Creating the Visual Effects: Again, not in HD, but this is a pretty cool piece with Simon Stanley-Clamp, the VFX Supervisor. But again, watch out, there are spoilers in this, as well.

Science Center Q and A with Duncan Jones: In HD, this has the director answering fan questions following a screening, that is kind of interesting. The same goes for Filmmaker’s Q and A at Sundance Film Festival, that is also in HD, and has more fans questions being answered.

Some BD-Live Functionality is featured, as is a slew of HD trailers for Moon and future Sony releases.

Conclusion: The film works best through repeated viewings, as it is welcome return to smart, interesting, sci-fi. The Blu-ray‘s transfer/audio are top-notch, but the extras are ho-hum.

The Film: Rating:

The Blu-ray: Rating: