Moon (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  An amazingly good hard sci fi movie. Not fantasy sci fi . . just goo sci fi . . an excellent film with Sam Rockwell putting on a great performance. If you want good psychological sci fi movie this is it.

• Shawn E

  
  A good sci-fi with an original story. Rockwell does well in this role and gives quite an intense performance. I also enjoyed Kevin Spacey's voice as GERTY, the robot.

• moon r

  
  Really have been itching to see this: a astronaut/miner collecting minerals alone on the Moon is at the end of his 3 year hitch when he discovers someone else up there with him ... impossible. A sci-fi of old school intent, which is to say that after the wonder of new technology… More
  Really have been itching to see this: a astronaut/miner collecting minerals alone on the Moon is at the end of his 3 year hitch when he discovers someone else up there with him ... impossible. A sci-fi of old school intent, which is to say that after the wonder of new technology comes the human question: can we live with it? Sam Rockwell carries the work with effortless style. Music by Clint Mansell.

• Adriel L

  
  Emotionally engaging science-fiction film is great, though short in scope, and story. As it is a debut film of a director, one can see potential here. There is a lot in here that concerns as all as existing human beings, and that here is the film's greatest strength; in its… More
  Emotionally engaging science-fiction film is great, though short in scope, and story. As it is a debut film of a director, one can see potential here. There is a lot in here that concerns as all as existing human beings, and that here is the film's greatest strength; in its personal touch.

• Alexander D

  
  MOON isn't anything anyone has seen before. It's a sci-fi movie, but it relies more on dialogue than action to build up its suspense. And it succeeds. There have been a handful of other films that have relied on a more talkative, dramatic atmosphere. None of those others… More
  MOON isn't anything anyone has seen before. It's a sci-fi movie, but it relies more on dialogue than action to build up its suspense. And it succeeds. There have been a handful of other films that have relied on a more talkative, dramatic atmosphere. None of those others seem to work as well as this one does. Take Steven Soderbergh's 2002 remake SOLARIS as an example. That film had a neat premise, especially with the gentle blend of lust and space, but even at a mere ninety minutes of length, it would be a cinematic lullaby to anyone who just doesn't care all too much for science fiction. MOON is different. Like SOLARIS, it clearly shies away from any special effects or action sequences that have become popular in today's sci-fi movies (the $5 million budget, which was seemingly devoted to making the film look incredibly futuristic, seems to agree with me on that one); contrarily, it runs close to ten minutes longer than Soderbergh's film, yet an audience would have to absolutely abhor sci-fi to have the nerve to miss an entire minute of it. The script provided most of the intrigue for MOON. This was written by Duncan Jones and Nathan Parker, two names that aren't really the most recognizable, though the former we could possibly point to for his work on last year's sci-fi flick SOURCE CODE. The two provide some of the most interesting characters in recent science fiction history (behind Jar-Jar Binks, for whom I would always reserve a spot, just because he-sa makes me-sa laugh at he-sa's utter stupidity). Honestly, the list of characters is quite small. There is only one real main character, unless you count GERTY, and every other character appears for no more than a minute. I could watch Sam Bell for hours, not because he shares a name with the actor who portrays him (though that does make it a bit more authentic, I'd say), but because his split personality is so unsettling. I honestly haven't seen a split personality done so profoundly well since Nicolas Cage's character(s) in ADAPTATION. GERTY is even better. He starts off as a bit of a comic relief to the story, and continues that way, but sometimes he seems to give us the effect that clowns do to young children. (Well, on a slightly lesser level.) His voice barely has any emotion to it, and it's really the screen covering his motherboard that provides a smile. He uses "emoticons" to convey his feelings: When he greets Sam, he gives off a giant smiley. When he is angry, he furrows his pixel-brows. When he wants to commiserate, he squeezes his eyes shut tight, puts on a forlorn face, and drips tears. You get the picture. DON'T JUMP OVER MY REVIEW OF MOON: http://themoviefreakblog.wordpress.com/review-moon

• Albert K

  
  I was absolutely psyched for this movie and I've gotta say, I was disappointed. On paper, it seemed to be a great movie in the making... Sam Rockwell was great. "Moon" takes an overdone, rehashed sci-fi plot and puts many different spins on it. There are times when you… More
  I was absolutely psyched for this movie and I've gotta say, I was disappointed. On paper, it seemed to be a great movie in the making... Sam Rockwell was great. "Moon" takes an overdone, rehashed sci-fi plot and puts many different spins on it. There are times when you are watching this movie, you start going, "Here we go again... this, this, and this is gonna happen," and then the story goes in a completely different path. However, these paths were unpredictable in the first place because it would take the story in an uninteresting path. There's no doubt this movie caught my attention, but it couldn't hold it for long. This WAS my most anticipated movie of 2009... I'm sorry but I'm gonna hafta give it a low rating.

• Jameson W

  
  Great film! The critics loved it, but this film still didn't receive all it's deserved praise...how could Sam Rockwell NOT be nominated for an Oscar? He gives a stunning, Oscar caliber performance as the main character Sam Bell. Check out this film for his incredible… More
  Great film! The critics loved it, but this film still didn't receive all it's deserved praise...how could Sam Rockwell NOT be nominated for an Oscar? He gives a stunning, Oscar caliber performance as the main character Sam Bell. Check out this film for his incredible performance. Also, the story was well thought-out, unique, and really intriging and interesting. Unlike anything I have ever seen, really. I also liked that it incorporated a few of the good elements of 2001: A Space Odyssey, like the robot, Gerty's, appearance, and the classical musical score. Excellent music by Clint Mansell. I even thought the special effects and computer generated sequences were good, especially for a low budget of only 5 million dollars. Pretty impressive!<br/><br /><br/><br />Moon is an excellent example of a great Sci-Fi film...sorry 2001 lovers! For me, this simple yet sophisticated movie delivers in every way one can. Story, acting, emotion, music, mystery, humor, conflict, scenery, setting, there was even a little romance and a fight scene. I definitely recommend this film to everyone!

• Directors C

  
  This is a sci fi film that's threatening. A lot like your typical alien flick but better, doing a lot of things differently for the better as well. Sam Rockwell's performance is very emotional and intense. It's very claustrophobic and limited and its hard to make good… More
  This is a sci fi film that's threatening. A lot like your typical alien flick but better, doing a lot of things differently for the better as well. Sam Rockwell's performance is very emotional and intense. It's very claustrophobic and limited and its hard to make good films like that.

• Matthew S

  
  A very smart premise, well thought-out and executed on just a $5 million budget. The best sci-fi embraces first our fragile humanity without sacrificing science or reason. Moon made that list.

• Ken S

  
  An impressive debut by Zowie Bowie aka Duncan Jones.

• KJ P

  
  Sam Rockwell is in top form as he plays two complete opposite versions of himself as they both come to heart-pounding realizations about why they represent each other. It is very confusing for the first half of the film and by the end, there are pieces that seem unfinished, but… More
  Sam Rockwell is in top form as he plays two complete opposite versions of himself as they both come to heart-pounding realizations about why they represent each other. It is very confusing for the first half of the film and by the end, there are pieces that seem unfinished, but overlooking that will make this a true cinema phenomenon. With an extremely tight budget, a story that will have you in tears, visual effects that are surprisingly great, and a performance that will take your breath away, "Moon" is one film that I will never forget and I will always find myself emotionally attached to. The outcome is brilliant and I did not want it to end. This movie is fantastic!

• Eric A

  
  A very believable sci-fi thriller! Great movie, surprised it wasn't bigger in the box office.

• Adam K

  
  Duncan Jones, the director of "Moon" has shown his first release is as good as a legend's latest. "Moon" is a powerful, sometimes dark, sometimes warm film that makes you feel. Sam Rockwell, recently appearing in "Cowboys And Aliens" performs the… More
  Duncan Jones, the director of "Moon" has shown his first release is as good as a legend's latest. "Moon" is a powerful, sometimes dark, sometimes warm film that makes you feel. Sam Rockwell, recently appearing in "Cowboys And Aliens" performs the best role of his life as Sam Bell, an astronaut working on the moon. He is hired by Lunar, a company that mines Helium 3 off the moon in order to solve the energy crisis on Earth. Things are going well as he nears the end of his three year contract, but that's when he makes a discovery and the story really picks up. Reminiscent of 2001, Jones directs in a similar style to Kubrick. The film is extremely atmospheric with all the essentials of a great, added with an incredible script, courtesy of Mark Bowden and Nathaniel Parker. Every time you believe something will happen, it doesn't, yet the film is shocking, heart-warming and jaw dropping, sometimes all at the same time. It could have won Best Picture if it had not been Jones first feature. A film to be watched properly, not a lazy half hearted, one eye and one ear open for a Sunday before work, this is a film that needs to be watched and thought about. Overall, a film that should be watched. An independent first feature film that looks like the work of a Hollywood legend. A tiny budget creating incredible special effects with a script and director to fight over. **** 4 Star

• Flutie A

  
  Very morose...Falls into "Good, not great" territory.

• Spencer S

  
  Being descriptive isn't an option when talking about this dramatic thriller/mistaken identity sci-fi. The plot alone is so intricate and cerebral one can't make this movie sound interesting without including a large plot summary. Still, the film itself is also a simplistic… More
  Being descriptive isn't an option when talking about this dramatic thriller/mistaken identity sci-fi. The plot alone is so intricate and cerebral one can't make this movie sound interesting without including a large plot summary. Still, the film itself is also a simplistic story, shot completely on a future base on the moon. The only full bodied character in this film is Sam Bell, played by Rockwell. This is his greatest performance yet, the stress of his time away from all human contact significant in the bold strokes in the story. With the way of the film, we're not sure if everything happening at first is a hallucination, or a cover-up that far outreaches films of the past decade, including the Bourne trilogy. Between the isolation, sickness, and utter betrayal of living alone on the moon, the film's dramatic score, a robot voiced by Kevin Spacey, and the stunning visual effects used in such a small film, it's an extraordinary experience. Only the highest regard and much kudos to this film.

• John H

  
  One of the most bizarre films of the year. Still, it was a true cinematic spectical. I love to see movies where the story is one character and the use he makes of his existance. My only rebuttle was the draggy and unusual points that almost appeared to make no sense what so ever.… More
  One of the most bizarre films of the year. Still, it was a true cinematic spectical. I love to see movies where the story is one character and the use he makes of his existance. My only rebuttle was the draggy and unusual points that almost appeared to make no sense what so ever. Great flick to catch. Good use of limited resources in a low budgeted picture. Plus, Sam Rockwell gives what I believe ot be his best performance yet.

• Kristijonas F

  
  A stunningly original entry into the science-fiction genre, Moon is utterly heart-wrenching to watch and features a gripping performance from Sam Rockwell.

• Cindy I

  
  The more I see of Sam Rockwell, the better I like him. And he is very good here as the sole inhabitant of a moon mining base. Near the end of his 3-year stint, he is involved in an serious accident while driving a mining machine. When he awakens, he discovers a younger version of… More
  The more I see of Sam Rockwell, the better I like him. And he is very good here as the sole inhabitant of a moon mining base. Near the end of his 3-year stint, he is involved in an serious accident while driving a mining machine. When he awakens, he discovers a younger version of himself living in his quarters. Who or what this person is is the crux of the story, and gets into what it means to be human, and whether we can be truly sure of our nature.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Well made sci-fi flick, Sam Rockwell is the kind of actor that can hold the weight of a movie like this, where the entire focus is on him. See, put him in "I am Legend" instead of Will Smith and that thing would improve a lot. Anyway, seems a lot of people were expecting… More
  Well made sci-fi flick, Sam Rockwell is the kind of actor that can hold the weight of a movie like this, where the entire focus is on him. See, put him in "I am Legend" instead of Will Smith and that thing would improve a lot. Anyway, seems a lot of people were expecting this to be some mindless thriller, filled with cheap tricks and other crap hollywood usually does. Moon is smarter than that, and takes a more refreshing route. Sure, the exploration of human identity and memories might not be something "new", it doesn't have to be. Moon has all the rights to take a hit on these topics, and the results are pretty damn good.

• Richard C

  
  One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made. A great story that's also original. Sam Rockwell was great in this. I didn't really know what the movie was about when I saw this which is probably the best way to see this movie. It was also suspenseful and keeps you wondering… More
  One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made. A great story that's also original. Sam Rockwell was great in this. I didn't really know what the movie was about when I saw this which is probably the best way to see this movie. It was also suspenseful and keeps you wondering what's real or not. I loved this movie and this is definitely one of the best movies of 2009. Grade: A

Read all 20 featured audience ratings