BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

As I'm sure you've picked up on, this review isn't about one of the endless big-budget, multi-plex sequels that take over the box office during the summer months (ie. Transformers, Harry Potter, Terminator, Ice Age), but rather an unassertive "indie" film called Moon, which was the directorial debut for Duncan Jones (who also co-wrote the script with Nathan Parker), the son of rock icon David Bowie. So, in the cosy balcony of Edmonton's oldest movie palace, the Princess, I settled into the 97-minute sci-fi thriller with a buddy of mine, who had smuggled in his own snacks in order to avoid doubling our movie budget for the night.

Moon reeked of nostalgic sci-fi movie bliss, with an old-school feel entwined with its modern-day look, yet paying homage to the classic films that Jones grew up admiring, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Silent Running (1972), Alien (1979) and Outland (1981). Jones admitted that he "wanted to create something which felt comfortable within that canon of those science fiction films from the sort of late-'70s to early-'80s."
Jones' premiere motion picture, which cost just $5 million to film, is an enigmatic piece that delves into the hysteria that evolves when isolation and desolation take centre stage, and the director found a way to bring Moon's viewers along for the ride. By setting the film 100% in lunar space, the audience gets a small taste of what Bell must've felt as he went through his daily routines with only a talking computer by his side, day in and day out, stumbling upon the unimaginable fate that has been bestowed upon him.
I lost track of time as I admired the spectacular scenery that can't be that far off from the real moon, complimented by the merited score supplied by part-time rock star Clint Mansell (Requeim for a Dream, The Wrestler). Rockwell--who has an uncanny resemblance to Will & Grace's Eric McCormack at times--proved his own worth with every scene, requiring him to sample every basic human emotion in a span of an hour and a half. I've never been prone to Rockwell's work prior to Moon, but will surely recognize his niche from this film on.

Revisiting a threatened genre of moviemaking, Moon left me wanting to go beyond the lunar experience and be a fly on the wall for Bell's audacious adventures once the credits hit the screen. So you can imagine my delight when I heard Jones was already working on an epilogue to Moon, and ultimately wants to direct a third in the series as well. So, 40 years after Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on Earth's closest neighbour, we find ourselves all gitty over the Moon once again!
4/5 stars
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