Moon, 2009 - Movie Review

Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey
Running Time: 97 minutes

Another great review by Richard Bodsworth who is having a great time at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Check out my interview with the director, Duncan Jones.

Transformers and Terminator Salvation are just two of the multi million pound budgeted blockbusters released this summer. We all love a good sci-fi film, but what the majority of the current crop neglect is a fundamental rule of filmmaking, a proper story with interesting and engaging characters. It is a well known fact that Michael Bay is more interested in blowing shit up rather than developing a character or having an intelligent plot. With his debut feature, MOON, Duncan Jones shows that a big budget isn't everything when creating a sharp, smart and frankly brilliant film.

With the Earth's immediate energy crisis, corporation Lunar have began extracting helium 3 from the Moon as a viable alternative. Rockwell plays Sam Bell, a lone astronaut stationed at the lunar base with only a talking computer, Gerty (Spacey) for company. His job is to oversee the helium 3 extractions. With only two weeks left of his three year tour, things take a disturbing turn when Sam finds someone else on the Moon. Is he hallucinating, or are the corporation trying to replace him? I don't really want to go any deeper into plot details in fear of giving anything away, but what ensures is a taught psychological battle and the one man Rockwell show.

At first glance you could easily mistake Moon for a Hollywood picture. It boasts some great visual effects and features two very well know actors in Rockwell and Spacey. I was shocked to discover the film is in fact an independent British film, with a reported budget of less than 5 million dollars, and that most effects were completed using models. The set built lunar surface is a beautifully bleak landscape, its desolation helps enforce the fact Sam is all alone in lunar base Sarang.

The film pays homage to some of the classic sci-fi films of the late 60's and 70's, at points you could be forgiven for thinking you are in the Nostromo. The environmental theme parallels with Silent Running and most people will quickly draw a 2001 comparison with the talking computer, Gerty. Jones direction however, stops the film from falling into a simple retro rehash. His razor sharp direction keeps the film fresh and a with the help of Clint Mansell's wonderful score, creates a eerily claustrophobic and ultimately uneasy atmosphere. Mansell is always an underrated commodity, but his scores often add that extra something as seen in his collaborations with Darren Aronofsky.

Sam Rockwell is outstanding as the astronaut slowly losing his sanity. It must be terribly difficult to be the only person on show, he is rarely off screen, but his intensity holds the audience like super glue and it is impossible to tear your eyes away. Going from bored worker, to emotional husband and father to mentally tortured, Rockwell delivers perhaps his greatest leading role. His performances in The Green Mile and The Assassination Of Jesse James amongst others have always been a personal highlight for me. Throughout all the tension he manages to give the film some breathing room with lightly comical interactions with Gerty.

For the whole 97 minutes there is not a boring moment and is paced just right. Although the plot is tight, there are points where you think you have the whole thing sussed but somehow it manages to make you doubt yourself. This is the thing I enjoyed and admired the most.

The lack of knowledge behind the Lunar corporation adds to the mystery, and if Jones continues with future films based in the Moon realm, there is vast amounts to build on. Moon is the perfect launch platform into a great sci-fi trilogy which, at the moment, the genre sorely needs. My only hope is that Jones sticks to formula that worked so well for him here, and doesn't jeopardise his outstanding work when offered a bigger budget. I implore everyone to see this amazing piece of British cinema, you will not be disappointed.

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Moon - Video interview with Duncan Jones

Set in the near future, earth's energy needs have been solved by extracting Helium Three from moon rocks. This is the job of one man, Sam Bell (the always fantastic Sam Rockwell), serving a three year contract running the extraction machines. His only company is a HAL-like computer, Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Sam is a mere two weeks from going home when an accident warps his reality. He wakes up from the accident to find a clone of himself on the station. This discovery leads Sam to question his sanity, job, and the very nature of his existence.

Jones squeezes every penny out of his five million dollar budget. Daringly original, the plot is matched by superb visual effects, musical score, and performance from Sam Rockwell.

Check out my interview with the man himself.

Source: MovieWeb

Discuss in the forum or leave a comment below.

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Moon - First 90 seconds of Duncan Jones' sci-fi feature debut

To get you ready for 12th June when Moon is released, here is the first minute and a half. It is looking very good.

Be sure to check out my interview with the film's director, Duncan Jones.

Discuss in the forum or leave a comment below.

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Duncan Jones to Escape from the Deep

I recently interviewed Duncan Jones about his directorial feature debut, Moon.

When I asked him what film he first remembered watching he said, "Errol Flynn's "The Seahawks" I LOVED that film.. Pirates, heroes, adventures. Think its part of what gave me the desire to do a "guys on a mission" film."

Well according to The Hollywood Reporter it looks as if he will be combining a few of those things on his next project, Escape From The Deep.

This is a script by Alex Kershaw based on the non-fiction book of the same name.

The Escape from the Deep web site describes the story as follows:

In October 1944, the U.S. Navy submarine Tang was already legendary—it had sunk more enemy ships, rescued more downed airmen, and pulled off more daring surface attacks than any other Allied submarine in the Pacific. And then, on her fifth patrol, disaster struck. The Tang’s last torpedo went out straight on target, but suddenly malfunctioned, turned back in an erratic “circular run,” and struck the Tang with such enormous force that half of the eighty-seven-man crew was killed instantly.

The survivors who went down with the Tang struggled to stay alive in their submerged “iron coffin” one hundred eighty feet beneath the surface, while the Japanese dropped deadly depth charges. As the oxygen depleted, some of the men made a daring ascent through the escape trunk. In the end just nine men of the original crew survived, including four who had been thrown from the bridge when the faulty torpedo hit, and had managed to tread water for over eight hours. But all of them were just beginning a far greater ordeal.

After being picked up by a Japanese patrol vessel, the survivors from the Tang were sent to a secret Japanese interrogation camp known as the “Torture Farm.” When they were finally liberated in August 1945, they were close to death, but they had revealed nothing to the Japanese, including the greatest secret of World War II.

Jones described Kershaw's book as a "powerful story that will come alive on the big screen."

He said he hopes to create a "tense action movie" from the story although there is still a long way to go as his recent tweet suggested.

Escape from the Deep is in early EARLY days.. still need the script to be written! but I highly recommend the book. An amazing true story!

Sounds like quite an interesting and action packed tale and I do like a good submarine film. Nine men...who would you like to see play the trapped submariners?

Discuss in the forum or leave a comment below.

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Exclusive Interview - Duncan Jones. Director of Moon.

Moon is the cool looking science fiction film starring Sam Rockwell as a lone lunar miner who's time on Earth's satellite is almost over. During his last few days on the Moon things begin to get a little weird. The film is produced by Liberty Films and is the feature debut of director Duncan Jones.

I recently got in touch with Duncan to ask him a few questions about the film and himself. He was kind enough to take the time to answer them and provide me with the photos in this post.

He has some good advice for new filmmakers and it is always good to speak to a fellow computer game and comic book fan. I am itching to know what games and comics he wants to adapt, but he won't say any more!

Without further ado here is the interview.

How did you get into filmmaking?

I kind of started filmmaking to begin with when I was a kid, got distracted during puberty and slowly made my way back after a long diversion into academia. I had been in grad school for a few years, was miserable and got the chance to work on a TV show Tony Scott was directing. He was incredibly cool and supportive and told me to get off my ass, go back to London and work my way into commercials as a route into films. I took his advice and about ten years later... made my first feature film!

Can you tell us a little more about your new film Moon?

Well, its an indie sci-fi film, but we were painstaking in the way we put it together to make sure it looked and felt like a much bigger film. For that reason alone, I am incredibly proud of the result, but the real coup was getting Sam Rockwell to not only be in the film, but to give what he himself admits is one of his best ever acting performances. Its smart sci-fi, but it's also funny, sad, hopeful and very human. I think there's a lot of goodness for all sorts of people in this film.
How did you get Sam Rockwell involved? If he had been unable to do it who else would you have liked for the part?

Sam and I met up about 3 years ago to discuss another project. That one didn't work out, but we got on really well, and I knew I wanted him in my first feature no matter what, so I decided I would write something for him. It took about 9 months to get the script together, and about 3 more for him to agree to do it, but frankly, if he hadn't agreed, I don't know who else could have. It was very specific to his talents. Characters name was "Sam!"
Was Moon always planned to be a small 2000AD Future Shocks story or was it scaled down due to the budget?

Oh God yes! It was designed to be a low budget, "calling-card" first feature film, with a very heavy list of priorities and requirements as to what we hoped to achieve. It was like a military objective; make this film for this much money using these resources, at this time and knock the studios socks off so that NEXT time I get to make a REAL film! Fortunately everything went so well, we ended up with a film we could be proud of in its own right.
Would you do anything differently on your next feature?

Of course. This film was designed to succeed under incredibly adverse conditions; Not enough time, money, pre-production... all sorts. It worked out in the end, but we really gave ourselves the mother of all challenges making it. I'll probably scoff at this in years to come, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if in the future, I remember this as one of the most challenging films I ever had to make.

What is your favourite genre? Will you be sticking to science-fiction?

The next film will be sci-fi, but that is in no way the only kind of film I want to make. I would love to do some other genres. I was a little bummed to hear about Inglorious Basterds when Tarantino announced it, as I have always wanted to do a WW2 gang on a mission movie, but things are cyclical.. I may still get a chance. And frankly, I am just excited to see what he has made! Westerns, deffo... and as you mentioned 2000AD, there are certain stories and characters from that holy book I have wanted to make since I was a kid.
Your favourite piece of science-fiction technology?

The automated sentry gun in Aliens was the coolest thing I had ever seen, when that film came out... Deckard's photo analysis computer from Blade Runner was right up there too. I know its not a film, but I NEVER felt like anyone captured cyberspace as I imagined it in William Giobson's Neuromancer. Robocop's ED-209... Winner!

Who are your favourite filmmakers?

Too many to mention.. its like asking "what's your favorite food flavor?" Im inspired, in awe, shocked, angered, upset and more by all sorts of films, and even if I dont like a film, it informs and hopefully refines what I want to do in my own work. I admire visualists like Ridley Scott, David Fincher, Tim Burton and Luc Besson. I love story tellers like Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, Michael Mann, I love mavericks like Robert Altman and Terry Gilliam. Sometimes I get as big a kick out of "bad" films as I do out of well made ones. Its a difficult, possibly impossible question to answer.

If you could have made one film, what would it have been?

If it was a film I admired, I dont think I would want to touch it, as I might break it... if it were crap to begin with, I would rather work on something of my own. Still... I was on "the twitter" the other day, talking about remakes, and did mention that I thought as sacriligious as it might be, I could see myself trying to remake Fritz Lang's "M," given half a chance.

What is your favourite video game of all time and what are you playing at the moment?

Oh! For sheer life changing, defining nerd making moment, it has to be Richard Garriot's Exodus Ultima III on the c-64... I spent SO MUCH TIME drawing out maps one bloody step at a time on graph paper! hahaha... and then there was the Amiga 500. Oh man. Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, Dungeon Master, Lemmings, Shadow of the Beast, Neuromancer the game! Lots of great stuff... As for now, been giving WOW a revisit, but its not the game I want to play. Frankly the game I want doesnt exist. I may have to see if I can ever get the clout to have my rough designs for a game turned into something. Call of Duty "World at War" is a beautifully made game on the PC. I have consoles, but I still only really play games on the PC. Im old school that way.

Are there any comic books or video games you would like to adapt for the big screen?

Yes to the first, yes to the second and I'm afraid I couldnt tell you even if I wanted to. ;)

What film do you first remember watching?

Probably Errol Flynn's "The Seahawks" I LOVED that film.. Pirates, heroes, adventures. Think its part of what gave me the desire to do a "guys on a mission" film.

Which actors/actresses, dead or alive, would you like to work with?

Easiest question you have given me! I am SO upset I never got to meet, or work with Oliver Reed. If I had been around earlier, or he had been around later... ahhh.. the films we could have made!

What happened to your Dad's character in David Lynch's Fire Walk With Me? (Duncan's Dad is David Bowie)

No idea.

Have you ever found your Dad's legacy to be a burden?

I do my best to be judged by my own achievements. If what I do is worthwhile, things should go ok. If I suck at my job, I'm sure there will be some schadenfreudian bastards out there happy to slam me twice as hard. Them's the knocks.

What advice can you give to any new filmmakers reading this?

Create a gang. Get together people around you and build a team. There are two things that make films happen 1) a good script and 2) momentum. Having a group of people of various talents wanting to make your project happen is the fastest and best way to create momentum. The script is up to you.

What are you favourite films and what film are most looking forward to seeing this year?

Again, too many to mention... I always go back to Altman's MASH and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner at least once a year. There is a little known sci-fi B-movie called "Blood of Heroes," (also known as "Salute of the Jugger") starring Rutger Hauer and Joan Chenn that puts a smile on my face. It created a vivid, imaginative future world and is, in my opinion, right up there with the original Roller Ball as the best future sport film ever!

If you were going to be killed by any movie villain or monster who or what would it be? What would your last words be?

Michael Ironside in Cronenberg's Scanners... and I wouldn't have a last word, I would just throw him one of those stares that they all use to communicate to the audience they are doing some seriously evil mental shit.

What are you working on next?

Hopefully another sci-fi film! A slightly bigger budget, and a very different feel, as its a city based thriller that takes place in a future Berlin. It's a loving homage and companion piece to Blade Runner, even if the story has nothing in common.

When and where can we see Moon?

Well! Comes out on June 12th in NY and LA, then rolls out across the US week by week. It comes out in the UK on July 17th! the UK release should be pretty widespread from week one... Im so excited and terrified at the same time, I don't really know what to do with myself... I just hope British audiences are proud of what a little British indie film has been able to pull off!

Duncan Jones thanks for your time and good luck with the film.

Check out the official Moon site.

You can also follow Duncan Jones on Twitter.

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UPDATED: Moon - Amazing trailer for Duncan Jones and Sam Rockwell's sci-fi film. NEW POSTER

This looks absolutely superb. Always been a fan of Rockwell and I love a good sci-fi film. Kevin Spacey also stars as the voice of GERTY.

Astronaut Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his intelligent computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of Helium 3, a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.

Leave a comment on this post below.

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Moon - Sam Rockwell has a release date

Collider have the good news that the superb looking Moon will be released on 12th June which, as we all know, is blockbuster season.

Collider also had this interview with Sam Rockwell and director Duncan Jones.

Check out this previous interview with Sam Rockwell, lots of clips from the film and some photos

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Moon - Some clips from Sam Rockwell's sci-fi film

Thanks to Daan for pointing these out on Collider.
On 23rd January it was announced that Sony Pictures Classics, the independent arm of Sony, has decided to pick up Moon for distribution. The indie studio is planning to debut Moon in theaters starting in late June.

"I have always hoped for the opportunity to work with Sony Pictures Classics on the distribution of our film, even before arriving at Sundance," director Duncan Jones told Variety.

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Moon - On-Set photo, an interview with Sam Rockwell and what influences the director, Duncan Jones

I posted the new poster for Moon earlier today. Now here is a photo from the set of Moon. It shows the film crew being busy, but more interestingly it shows a bit more of the moonbase.

Doing a bit more hunting around the web I have found out that Sam Rockwell plays two characters, one of which is a clone of the other and they both have different personalities.

That could explain the dummy lying down in the bottom right of the photo as it may well be used for scenes where Sam Rockwell has to act against himself..or it may be a robot voiced by Kevin Spacey. I hope it is the former option as it looks like it would make a crap robot. Wonder if it will turn out that Rockwell isn't actually cloned and is just going mad and talking to his other personality?

I found the photo on Daneeta Loretta's London Metblog. Apparantly she is mates with the director, Duncan Jones, and says, "My mate and fellow LFS alumni Duncan is in the middle of filming his first feature “Moon” at Shepperton Studios (not technically London, I know, but close enough). Sam Rockwell is in the lead playing a scientist returning to Earth after a three-year sojourn on the Moon.

If you’re interested in Sci-Fi and have a penchant for those classic films of the 70s, this will be the film for you. Duncan’s references are the likes of “Alien” (the original) and “Silent Running.” It won’t be out ’til 2009"

I also came across this interview with Sam Rockwell he did way back in March. He talks about Frost/Nixon, Choke, Snow Angels, Charlies Angels and this is what he had to say about Moon

The A.V. Club: So you're working in London right now?

Sam Rockwell: I'm in jolly old London. I'm working on a science-fiction movie called Moon. And it's just me and a robot. That's it, man. You ever seen a movie called Silent Running with Bruce Dern? It's sort of like that.

AVC: Or Castaway?

SR: It's a little bit like Castaway, too, except my character is on the moon and he meets his clone. That's a little different, too.

AVC: So unless the robot is really charismatic, this is obviously a leading role. Does your mindset change when you're cast in a lead role rather than a supporting role?

SR: There's a mixed bag with it. It's more responsibility, but it's probably easier to do a lead role, because you just get into a groove, vs. a supporting role, you wait around more.

AVC: That seems to be the difference between an independent film and a studio film too, the waiting around.

SR: Yeah. In independent movies, you wait around less. In a way, it's a little more creative, I think. For an actor, anyway.

Now we know a little bit more about it. A mix of Silent Running, Castaway, Saturn 3 and a hint of Solaris (the George Clooney version). Regular reader of the site, Tony H put this forward, "For this to be something new it has to have an almighty twist...is he being replaced by his own clone who has orders to kill him first? A corporation that saves on wages and recruitment by growing, implanting and then disposing of the workforce...."

Where do you reckon this film is going?

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Sam Rockwell is on the Moon

Bloody Disgusting got their hand on a very impressive batch of photos from the film, Moon. Astronaut Sam Bell (Rockwell) has been mining Helium 3 on the moon three years alone. Just two weeks shy of his departure from the lunar base Selene, Sam starts seeing and hearing things and feeling strange. When a routine extraction goes horribly wrong, he discovers that his employer has their own plans for replacing him and the new recruit is eerily familiar.


Moon is being directing by Duncan Jones, also known as Zowie Bowie, the son of David Bowie. Jones is a former ad exec turned filmmaker with only one film under his belt, a sci-fi short from 2000 called Whistle. It also features Kevin Spacey as the voice of a robot.

What do you make of the photos? They look very nice indeed and it could well be a cult classic in the making. Sam Rockwell is a solid actor (Confessions of A Dangerous Mind is a brilliant movie). What do you reckon will happen in the film going by the little synopsis above. Have a guess in the comments then when the film comes out we can see who was the closest!
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