Lunar Flair
2010; University of Oklahoma; Volume: 84; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/wlt.2010.0211
ISSN1945-8134
Autores Tópico(s)Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
ResumoRecently released on DVD, Moon, directed by Duncan Jones,establishes itselfas one of those rare films that emotionally and visually makes a stunning impactwith equivalent intensityon an LCD monitor as itdoes on the sil ver screen. Although the intriguing science-fiction premise ofMoon does have a hard science basis, Jones's concern with humanity proves most fasci nating. Jonesplaces philosophy back intoSF film. Moon begins with Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) soon to return to Earth after a three-year stint on themoon as a technician aiding in the harvest and transportation of Helium-3 for the Lunar Corporation. Helium-3 exists as a natural resource on the dark side of themoon that Lunar Corp uses topower fusion energy (theactual science in this fictionalHE-3 is an element currentlybeing researched for its energy-producing potentiality). Sam's solitary jobon theSarang moon base has left himworld-weary and ready to rejoinhiswife and daughter on Earth. As he counts down the days to his return, Sam begins to experience excruciat ing headaches and unsettling hallucinations that eventually culminate in his wrecking one of the lunar rovers that he uses to navigate the moon's terrain. Events go all topsy-turvy from here. After recovering fromhis injurieswith the aid of gerty, the sentient, dulcet-toned computer aptly voiced by Kevin Spacey, Sam feels that something is amiss. Against directive, Sam returns to the site of his accident on the moon's surface and recov ers himself fromthe wreckage. All along, theSam Bell that we grow to trulyempathize with isone of many clones engineered tohelp harvestHelium-3. To effectivelyportray the close quarters of Sarang, Duncan Jones had an actual base con structed, airlock and all, at legendary Shepperton Studios. The opening credits ofMoon draw us in with Clint Mansell's lovely yet compelling score enriching the exterior lunar landscape shots mas terfully rendered with miniatures and models of the harvesters, rovers, and terrain. Known for his brilliantwork on Alien, Bill Pearson designed themodels. Subtle CG textures implemented by the ever:impressive Cinesite effects group add to thebelievability of the illusion. This mix of the realwith thevirtual creates tactility,setting Moon apart from so many slick,CGI-ridden films that fall flat for their lack of dirt and grit. Sam Bell's world on themoon base isutilitarian and sturdy, not high-tech and shiny.The fidelityof theeffects above SamRockwell as Sam is an astonishing accomplishment on such a small Bell ina scene fromMoon. May-June 2010 153 SCIENCE FICTION Tina-Louise Reid isa graduate teaching assistant for the Film and Media Studies program at the University of Kansas. Her current research interests include the permutations of fairy tales; literaryand visual depictions of carnivals, circuses, and sideshows; as well as the multimedia persistence of Steampunk. She has published articles on video artist Van McElwee inAfterimage, Outsider artist Prophet Blackmon for Raw Vision, and surrealist animator Jan Svankmajer in Peter Hames's collection The Cinema of Centrai Europe. 541World Literature Today budget ($5million). Moon shows thatepic, hyper rendered effects are not necessary and that the human element iswhat matters here. Ifonly the older Hollywood geezers would take a fewnotes from this first-timefeature director: the effects serve the filminstead of existingmerely toact as a showcase forthe latest inCGI advances. Certainly, spectacle has itsplace and pleasure, yet films like Moon resonate in such uncertain times as ours. Despite the seriousness of the themes, Jones injects wry touches ofhumor as Sam awakes every day tohis alarm clock playing Chesney Hawkes's "I Am the One and Only." Primitive Clapper technology turnsoff lights,and gerty is equipped with a special Flowbie-like attachment to cut Sam's hair, gerty is comical in his simple construc tionwith a generic display screenwith glorified emoticons to express gerty's mood and a specific slot just to hold Sam's coffee. Still, gerty's low tech fa?ade allows forSam's and ultimately our projection ofhuman qualities onto this machine as our expectations of gerty's possible actions later become thwarted, forhe ultimately protects and serves Sam, not the corporation. Sam Rockwell's remarkable performance(s) galvanize thisfilm. Always nuanced inhis chame leon-like skills, Rockwell never ceases to impress as an actor. Duncan Jones...
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