Moon (2009)
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A lone astronaut on the Moon discovers a shocking truth about his identity and the nature of his mission.
The story
Following an oil crisis, Lunar Industries establishes Sarang Station on the far side of the Moon to mine helium-3. The facility is operated by a single human, and Samuel Bell is currently in the final weeks of his three-year contract. Due to communication failures with Earth, Sam relies on recorded messages from his wife. However, as his contract nears its end, Sam begins to experience hallucinations. After a rover accident leads to a mysterious discovery, he must confront the reality of his isolation and the secrets held by the corporation and the artificial intelligence, GERTY, that assists him in his lonely post.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sam Bell is a lone miner on the Moon's far side, tasked with mining helium-3. After a rover crash, he finds a physical double of himself. GERTY, the base's AI, reveals that both are clones of the original Sam Bell; the newer clone was activated after the crash to replace the older one, whose memories were implanted. They discover that Lunar Industries uses a cycle of clones to avoid training costs, while intentionally jamming communications to keep them from contacting Earth. The older Sam realizes he is nearing the end of his 'life' and discovers a vault of hibernating clones. The two Sams realize that the upcoming rescue team will kill them if they are found together. The newer Sam plans to escape to Earth as a whistleblower, while the older Sam agrees to stay behind in the rover to appear as a corpse. The newer Sam succeeds in reaching Earth and exposing the company, while the older Sam remains behind, watching the launch from the wreckage.
- First release year
- 2009
- Runtime (minutes)
- 97
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Duncan Jones
- Writers
- Nathan Parker · writer; Duncan Jones · story
- Cast and characters
- Sam Rockwell · Sam Bell; Dominique McElligott; Kaya Scodelario; Benedict Wong; Matt Berry; Malcolm Stewart; Kevin Spacey
- Genres
- science fiction; adventure
- Themes
- identity; humanity; corporate greed
- Tone and mood
- claustrophobic; moody; desolate
- Premise and plot tags
- space exploration; cloning; artificial intelligence; survival
- Franchise connections
- Mooniverse
- Reception
- The film was well-received by critics, with Sam Rockwell's performance receiving significant praise. It was described as a thoughtful, moody, and high-quality piece of science fiction.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 67 · scale: 100 · review count: 29
- Awards and nominations
- Hugo Award · Best Dramatic Presentation · 2010 · won
- Production trivia
- The film was specifically written as a vehicle for actor Sam Rockwell.; The film pays homage to films such as Silent Running, Alien, and Outland.; The film was shot in 33 days at Shepperton Studios.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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