The best sci-fi movie of 2009 is available on Blu-Ray and it isn't called District 9.
Directed by Duncan Jones
Writers Duncan Jones (Original story), Nathan Parker (Screenplay)
Cinematographers Gary Shaw (director of photography)
Original Music Clint Mansell
Cast
Sam Rockwell ... Sam Bell
Kevin Spacey ... GERTY (voice)
2009 was a surprisingly great year for fans of science fiction films. The summer blockbuster season kicked off with a new Star Trek film that surpassed what previous entries in the franchise were able to achieve. It brought in both hardcore Trekkies and regular film fans alike and presented us with an action packed sci-fi movie that connected with everyone. In August, Peter Jackson used his name to help sell fans on a small movie called District 9, a pure sci-fi flick with great ideas and concepts but never relenting on the action at hand.
A movie overlooked by mainstream audiences that not only equals the two sci-fi movies I mentioned, but surpasses them in quality is a small film starring Sam Rockwell called Moon. I find it sad many people look at a true masterpiece like 2001: A Space Odyssey and dismiss it as “boring.” I can see that as an argument when discussing a movie like Solaris, just as brilliant but a chore to sit through, but I find nothing about Kubrick’s 2001 to be boring. Moon takes the ideas from both those movies and creates a movie with a pace that might win over the people who refuse to “labor through” those other sci-fi classics.
Sam Rockwell is Sam Bell, an astronaut on a three-year mission on the Moon. His only companion is a computer called GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey) and the two pass time working on the Moon base, extracting a mineral used to help Earth’s diminished power problems. The transmission to Earth is messed up and he is unable to communicate with home live and must rely on sending and receiving messages from his family and bosses. While he is out one day trying to solve a problem with one of the machines, he is involved in an accident. He wakes up in the infirmary and starts to recover when he realizes he is not allowed to return to the outer surface of the Moon. He finally talks GERTY into letting him go out and finds another man, injured, on the Moon.
To say too much more is to spoil some of the movie’s unique surprises. To put it bluntly, the man he finds also claims to be Sam Bell and the two men, both played by Rockwell, must figure out what is going on and who the real Sam Bell is. It is a brilliant science fiction idea dissecting what life really means and it works well thanks to the brilliant acting by Rockwell. There were a number of great acting performances in 2009 but Sam Rockwell’s performance here, playing only off himself and a faceless computer, stacks up well with what everyone else did last year.
He brings a different personality to each character, one being a semi-hippy who grows plants, builds a model of his home town and longs to return home to his family. The second character is more of an alpha-male, an aggressive astronaut here to do a job, but with the same hopes and dreams of returning home to his family. What is great about the movie is the third character, GERTY, is not used as the evil computer that many sci-fi films present. The computer is a friend, a companion and an ally. It is not the dominating mechanical menace that HAL was in 2001, but every time Sam calls the computer “Pal” it brought back memories of the Kubrick film. There is no bad guy in this movie, save the unseen business that Sam works for, but the movie is tense and thrilling nonetheless.
This is thanks to the confident, sure handed directing by first timer Duncan Jones. Jones has been around films his entire life, learning as a young boy on the set of Tony Scott’s Hunger, which starred his father David Bowie. He soaked in everything Scott offered him and developed a great love of film. He takes a small scale film with only one actor onset most of the film and creates something special. District 9 accomplished a lot with a minor budget, but a lot of that has to do with the help of Peter Jackson and WETA. Jones was able to make his movie with limited resources and Moon ended up as not only the best sci-fi of the year but one of the best of in recent memory.
The Video
The Blu-Ray is presented in a 1080p, 2.40:1 transfer. There is not a lot about this film to expect a crisp explosive picture from but what the Blu-Ray does is exceptional for a film this minimal. The shots of the surface of the moon are the highlight of the picture, rich and brilliant in presentation.
The Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless. The score by Clint Mansell is perfectly rendered. The effects are done in a natural way, never needing to blow out your speakers and everything is smooth and pleasing to the ears. The dialogue, the closing of doors and the movement of GERTY are all crystal clear and work almost as well as the video.
The Packaging
The Blu-Ray is packaged in the normal package and fits into a slipcase. There is different artwork on the cover and the slipcase, so collectors will want to keep both.
The Extras
Commentary Tracks - There are two commentary tracks, the first by Duncan Jones, his DP, concept designer and production designer. The four men throw out all the information you would want about the technical aspects of the film but at times it seems a little jumbled and overbearing. The better track is the second commentary with Jones and producer Stuart Fenegan. The two carry on a great conversation, talking about a number of interesting ideas, theories and technical info. If you only listen to one commentary, chose the two-man talk track.
Whistle - This is a short film directed by Duncan Jones about a man tasked with assassinating people from remote locations. It is presented in 480p and is 28:46 long.
The Making of Moon - Checking in at 16:18, this is a typical making of where the cast and crew discuss the film. Do not watch this before watching the movie or specific plot points will be spoiled. It is presented in 480p.
Creating the Visual Effects - As the title indicates, this is a look at the construction of the visual effects with the supervisor. It checks in at about 11:09. It is presented in 480p.
Science Center Q&A With Director Duncan Jones - This is a 20-minute session of Jones taking questions during a Moon screening at the Houston Space Center. It is 20:48 and is presented in 1080i.
Filmmaker’s Q&A At the Sundance Film Festival - This is another question session with Jones, this time with Sundance audience members. It is 11:15 and is presented in 1080p.
The Film: 9.5/10.0 The Video: 9.0/10.0 The Audio: 9.0/10.0 The Packaging: 9.0/10.0 The Extras: 9.0/10.0
The 411: Moon is the best sci-fi movie of 2009. In a year that presented fans with a revival of critically acclaimed sci-fi movies, the Duncan Jones debut feature is the cream of the crop. Sam Rockwell comes out of this movie with one of the best performances of the year and carries the movie to great heights. The Blu-Ray presents the low budget movie in such a beautiful, breathtaking manner that it is hard to believe a first time director could achieve this. The special features are solid and there is a lot here for anyone wanting to enjoy smart, quality sci-fi. There is nothing about this movie to complain about and it is good enough to recommend to everyone, geek or not.
