Science fiction movies about isolated individuals who begin to experience things that may or may not actually be happening is nothing new, but no other genre does it better than sci-fi, which has the added benefit of the vastness of space as its background. Add some paranoia, a lot of grungy technology, and isolate the character within an inch of his life, and you have yourself the makings of a great psychological thriller. That seems to be what writer/director Duncan Jones is going for with his movie “Moon”, which stars Sam Rockwell as a lunar miner who begins to suspect that the company he’s working for may be trying to kill him. Or at least, keep him from leaving the moon. Is it real? Is it all in his head, the product of prolonged isolation on the moon?

The plot:

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is nearing the end of his contract with Lunar. He’s been a faithful employee for 3 long years. His home has been Selene, a moon base where he has spent his days alone, mining Helium 3. The precious gas holds the key to reversing the Earth’s energy crisis.

Isolated, determined and steadfast, Sam has followed the rulebook obediently and his time on the moon has been enlightening, but uneventful. The solitude has given him time to reflect on the mistakes of his past and work on his raging temper. He does his job mechanically, and spends most of his available time dreaming of his imminent return to Earth, to his wife, young daughter and an early retirement.

But 2 weeks shy of his departure from Selene, Sam starts seeing things, hearing things and feeling strange. And when a routine extraction goes horribly wrong, he discovers that Lunar have their own plans for replacing him and the new recruit is eerily familiar.

Before he can return to Earth, Sam has to confront himself and the discovery that the life he has created, may not be his own. It’s more than his contract that is set to expire.

Poster:

Some images from the film: