Moon (film)

I was disappointed with The Martian because it could have been a powerful space exploration drama, but for the film's insistent comedy. So I was pleased to see that Moon, released in 2009 but unnoticed at the time by me, did not have the same problem.

Moon has a plausible enough premise. In the near future, a private company is harvesting the moon's raw materials for use on earth. The robotic machinery is overseen by Sam Bell, the single moon resident on a 3-year contract. Gerty, the artificial intelligence that assists him in his work, is the closet thing Sam has to human company.

The movie has a handful of humorous scenes. But they are very dark. Plus, they are integral to the story. I think that in film, sex and violence work only when they are important to the story. Otherwise they are gratuitous. The Martian makes me think the same about comedy in a dramatic movie.

I suppose someone might think the lone astronaut's interactions with an AI are too similar to such scenes in 2001: A Space Odyssey. But I think that is going to be an increasingly common element of movies as space exploration and AI become more than fictional speculation.

Overall, Moon is smart and solid. The freaky part of the story, which I don't want to spoil for those who have yet to see it, is Charlie Kaufman level creativity. Moon's director and co-writer Duncan Jones (who happens to be David Bowie's son) may have a promising film career ahead.