Moon - Blu-ray Review

Tech-at-a-Glance.

• 1080p HD.
• 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio.
• 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.
• UK 'Region Free' edition reviewed.

The Movie:

There is something about a great debut movie that can really excite.  The Evil Dead, Reservoir Dogs and Eraserhead are all examples of brilliant first films whose directors have gone on to make many more and on watching Moon, you have the feeling that its first-time director Duncan Jones, will also be added to that list.

Sam Rockwell plays Sam Bell, an astronaut who single-handedly runs a mining operation on the far side of the moon, where the extracted 'Helium 3' product is the answer to Earth's continuing energy problems.  On a routine maintenance mission, an accident befalls him with seemingly no way of returning to base, however, he awakens in the infirmary - and he's not alone.

Duncan Jones is very forthcoming about his influences, but to continually quote these does the film an injustice, as Moon itself is likely to prove equally as influential for other filmmakers thanks to the tight storyline and real emotional impact, all done on a small, independent budget.  The first act is creepy and unsettling, with little explanation of what could be going on, while the second act alternates between being profoundly moving and desperately sad, it's as much a study of what it's like to live with yourself as it is a study of loneliness.  At the centre of this is Sam Rockwell, who always impresses, and the genius of his performance is clear when you invest in his dual-role without any question.  Special mention should also go to the voice-only performance of Kevin Spacey as the base's computer, GERTY, who takes pleasure in moving the role in a different direction than one initially expects    British comedy fans should watch out for a brief cameo by Garth Marenghi's Darkplace and IT Crowd star Matt Berry too! 

Moon is science fiction told the old-fashioned way, filmed on an actual set with CGI touches and using models complimented by careful use of CGI for the exterior shots, plus a fantastic central performance by Sam Rockwell.  After it ends, first time viewers will be left with the decision of how long they will to wait before watching it again.  I lasted all of two days.

5/5

The Audio and Video:

Moon isn't a particularly colorful movie, but the whites, blacks, blues and greys are all pin-sharp, with no image issues showing up in the often problematic star fields either.  It's a modern film and the Blu-ray presentation is essentially flawless, especially when inside the base, where occasional harsh lighting brings out some beautiful skin-tones and exposes a high level of background detail.

Audio-wise it's slightly less impressive, but not so much that one could mark it down by much, as it's just not that sort of movie. The DTS-HD audio isn't filled with punchy bass or endless surround effects, but what it does have, it deals with perfectly well.  There were a few scenes early on where the dialogue sounded slightly muffled, but this didn't feel like a problem with the mix, more something which occurred during filming.  Where the audio excels is when Clint Mansell's - he of Requiem for a Dream fame - haunting score is playing.  The end credits are a particular treat in this respect!

4/5

The Disc:

You're not going to find anything which isn't on the DVD here, aside from BD-Live of course, but it's a relatively comprehensive collection for a film of this budget.  The most informative and entertaining piece is Duncan Jones and Stuart Fenegan's commentary track, which tells you almost everything you need to know about what it was like making Moon, while the second track with Jones, the DP and some of the design team, struggled to hold my interest as it wandered off track a little too often.

Two featurettes, a Making-of and Creating the Visual FX, run for 16 and 11 minutes respectively, but still manage to cram plenty of information in.  The FX featurette does get quite technical but is an excellent look at how CGI can be used to enhance shots rather than simply create them.  Finally there are two Q&A's with Duncan Jones, plus a short film too.

4/5

Overall:

Intelligent and moving science fiction, with an amazing performance from Sam Rockwell and a good set of extra features ensure Moon is highly recommended to fans of the genre.  The best thing?  It should see many who aren't fans of sci-fi realize it's not all space battles and aliens, and that sci-fi isn't only for the geeky.

4/5