Viewed in
2010
Premise
A solitary worker on a lunar base is just about to complete his three year contract, when he realizes he's not alone.
Who should watch
Those who like movies that make you discuss and debate afterward, and have the patience to handle a 'boring' first act.
Thoughts
This was a cool chimera of 'Space Odyssey 2001', 'Castaway', and a third film (in Spoiler section). I was very intrigued by the themes of space, loneliness and the shout out to HAL. Things got really interesting in the second act. Kudos to the film makers for keeping things ambiguous at the right moments when the main character was just a confused as the audience, but keeping the plot easy to understand in the end. It was fun discussing the subtle hints and unanswered details with friends when the film finished.
Much like 'Castaway', this was a fascinating solo acting performance by Sam Rockwell. He was believable as an isolated man, trying to maintain his sanity while figuring out the mystery and madness around him. It was fun seeing how Rockwell portrayed his character after the first twist.
Granted movie technology is cheaper, I was impressed that the alleged budget was only $5 million, considering all the exterior scenes on the moon surface, GERTY the robot assistant, and Rockwell's interactions with other characters.
This had a bit of old school pacing to it, so I understand if people might tune out quickly because of the lack of action in the first 20-30 minutes. Even the impending doom seemed to be lackadaisical, which might not be a good thing. I wonder if the pace was in my head, since for some reason I imagined things in outer space moving slower.
While it did not resort to Hollywood explosions, the climax was predictable to me. This was somewhat of a let down, considering the cool creativity the film exhibited overall. After a while, I just knew what needed to occur to resolve the plot.
Thanks to a very entertaining, thoughtful second act and Rockwell's performance, I think science fiction fans would enjoy this film, in spite of its slow pace.
What I would change
Obviously the set up was necessary, but I would have shortened one or two shots, to speed it up a bit.
Spoiler!
The third film I was thinking of was the ethical themes of clones from 'The Prestige'. Kind of a 'what if' storyline of two Hugh Jackman clones trying to escape their fate.
