This was an interesting little semi-indie film from the late 2000’s. It’s very clearly utilizing some classic sci-fi ideas, but it pulls them off in an engaging way that does leave you guessing exactly what is going on, at least at first (granted, it’s not the hardest thing to figure out, but I was still interested to know either way). Plus, props to Sam Rockwell for pulling off this sort of performance, playing different versions of the same character interacting off each other without many other actors to play off of. And, yes, it should be noted that Kevin Spacey has a role in this film, playing the robotic GERTY, which may be a turn off for many of those in the audience. Personally, I was able to separate it fine, I’m usually able to in most cases (and it probably helped that it was just a voice-roll), but that will probably be something to keep in mind before going in if you’re not the type that can separate or just prefer not to. Anyway, with that awkwardness out of the way, let’s get into the story.
The movie follows Sam Bell, a worker on a moon base centered around mining an element referred to as “helium-3.” Apparently, in this version of the future, this element was found to be a much better alternative to fossil fuels and the corporation that found it jumped at the chance to sell it as Earth’s new main energy source. Sam is on a three-year solo stint on the base, making sure the functions are maintained and running properly, his only companion being a robotic assistant named GERTY, as well as the occasional video message from his wife. The signal from the moon to the Earth (and vice-versa) doesn’t allow for direct communication, rather relying on video messages, so he hasn’t talked to another human in all this time. Luckily, he’s nearing the end of his run on the base and will get to go back home very soon. However, while driving out to check on one of the harvesters, Sam accidentally crashes right into it and falls unconscious. He wakes up in the base’s infirmary, having apparently suffered some head injuries which wiped his memory of the crash. After seeing what he almost thinks is GERTY talking to the heads of the company over the communication, he receives a communication from the company informing him of a rescue team being sent up to help him out, as well as telling him not to leave the base. Sam manages to trick GERTY into letting him go outside, though only to check the base’s exterior, a promise Sam immediately breaks. He drives out to the miner and sees a crashed rover stuck in its treads. Upon inspection of the rover, he’s shocked to discover himself inside it. He takes the other him back to the base, freaking out and demanding to know what’s going on. How are there two Sams? Is the company hiding something? Those are questions I’ll leave for you to see for yourself.
The story of this film felt like the sort of thing that you would have read in the old sci-fi magazines of yesteryear. Something about the lone man in a claustrophobic tech environment figuring out the veiled secret behind his situation feels very much like classic pulp writing. However, the film updates the feel of this sort of story to fit within our modern world, or at least the modern world of the 2000s. There’s not much old-time melodrama being displayed here, not a lot of overplaying or transatlantic-esque deliveries. Sam Rockwell plays it very much like a modern person would, feeling much more grounded and believable rather than stagey. In general, I think he did a good job with the roll, playing both the younger, active, yet more physically hostile Sam Bell as well as the older, defeatist, and smarmy Sam Bell very well. His performance as both endears you to him and his situation, while obviously not shying away from his negative traits. Being trapped in a situation that you thought you understood but have come to find out is a complete lie can cause several different reactions in people, which the two Sams show. I also rather appreciated the subversion of the HAL-esque character GERTY. Again, I don’t want to spoil too much, but I’ll say that due to a loophole in his programming, he’s able to become a much more positive figure in the story than most of his ilk. The interior of the moon base has the classic white look that we’ve seen in plenty of sci-fi works, namely 2001 and parts of Alien. Funnily, though, it also reminded me a bit of the film version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which had come out a few years before this film, was also a British-American co-production, and also starred Sam Rockwell. This is probably all coincidental, but it’s a funny parallel. The other elements of the film, such as the music, makeup, and effects also do a good job in delivering the experience. The music does have some quintessential “indie-ness” to it, soft songs and music and all that, but it does a good job of creating an eerie and ominous feeling when it’s called for. The makeup on the older Sam Bell made him look effectively busted and gave you a sense early on that something was going on with him. The effects obviously don’t actually make you think you’re on the moon, this is just a movie after all, but they still look very nice and help to convey that cold, isolated vibe that Bell is experiencing.
In general, this was a solid film. It told a very classic type of story in a modern way and didn’t go too overboard with its presentation. Granted, it is very much what I would call a “Sundance” film, as in an indie film that’s not really indie, but that doesn’t make it any less effective. It’s also not that hard to find either, from what I can tell, so I’d recommend giving it a watch. Might be a good little diversion from the more big and bombastic sci-fi stuff that tends to be seen more often. Head up to the Moon for a cool time, just maybe don’t stay too long and really inspect that contract they gave you beforehand.