8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
In this critically-acclaimed space isolation drama, Sam Bell is a worker for Lunar Industries who is nearing the end of a three-year contract to mine the moon's surface for the precious gas Helium 3, the solution to Earth's energy crisis. As he approaches his return to Earth, Sam reflects on the lessons he has learned during his prolonged isolation and looks forward to his reunion with his wife and young daughter. But a fortnight before his departure he starts seeing and hearing strange things that lead him to suspect that his employers intend to replace him in a far more sinister way than he imagined. Sam's only companion, a small robotic computer called Gerty.
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict WongDrama | 100% |
Psychological thriller | 61% |
Mystery | 60% |
Surreal | 51% |
Sci-Fi | 35% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Portuguese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
feat commentary tracks [DD / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps], optional subtitles in Spanish & Portuguese
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
The power of the moon, the power of our future.
No lasers, no explosions, no aliens, no problem. Director Duncan Jones' Moon is a member
of a lost species, a true work of Science Fiction art that explores not just outer space but the
deepest chasms of mankind, the film set on the moon but standing firmly in the midst of the
human condition where it delves into the deepest secrets of the soul, a place as mysterious as the
dark side of the moon itself. Indeed, Moon is a reflection of everything that makes man a
man, the film a detached yet deeply personal account of one individual's struggle to cope with both
isolation and the revelation of a dark and disturbing secret while also commenting on humanity's
evolved yet nevertheless disconnected and heartless ways. Set in a future where science and
technology have once again revolutionized the world but where the human species' morality is
questioned under the guise of a
tormented soul, Moon is one this generation's -- and history's -- finest examples of Science
Fiction done absolutely right.
One is the loneliest number.
Moon descends onto Blu-ray with an exceptionally film-like 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer. Moon isn't the sharpest or most intricately-detailed Blu-ray in existence; the transfer reflects the film's minimalist set design and general lack of visual flair, but does so extraordinarily well, making for one of the finest Blu-ray transfers of a visually bland movie. The film occasionally goes soft around the edges, though it does seem in keeping with the Director-intended appearance. Otherwise, fine object detail can be most impressive; every little pebble and crater that make up the moon's somewhat uneven terrain can appear mesmerizingly rich and intricate, while the general grime and wear-and-tear that's ever-present around the station's interior edges and crevices contrast nicely with the smooth, monochromatic and visually dull walls, floors, doors, and other interior objects. The sterile environment seems broken up by only the occasional seam or a myriad of photographs and posters adorning Sam's living quarters, or the several Post-It Notes stuck to GERTY's body. Likewise, scratches, dents, and debris on the exterior of the lunar vehicles and facial hair stubble and bumps, bruises, and scratches on Sam's face are well-rendered. Black levels are strongly realized; flesh tones can appear a bit pale but also in-line with the clean, bright, and harsh lighting of the lunar complex; and a fine layer of handsomely-preserved film grain completes a fantastic transfer otherwise held back only by the film's deliberate lack of visual flair.
Moon's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is, much like the video presentation, contemplative but precisely reproduced. Clint Mansell's superb score enjoys pinpoint clarity and a perfectly clear and appropriately haunting tone. The track delivers subtle but purposeful bass, often accompanying supportive sound elements, such as the closing of doors or sunshades around the station. More aggressive bass can be found in the rumbling of lunar harvesters, but the subwoofer is never tasked with simply throwing prodigious levels of bass into the listening area. Like the film, bass is reserved and purposeful, shining when need be but staying within parameters and never overextending its presence. Additionally, surround activity is often light but immersive and seamless; music flows into the back, an alarm klaxon blares through the listening area, and dozens of other effects both subtle and somewhat more aggressive create a rather seamless extension of the on-screen environments into the listening area. Even the most minute and forgettable sound effects -- the buzzing of an overhead light or the hum of the station's power grid -- are a testament to the fully-realized atmosphere built into the film's sound design and the DTS track's ability to so smoothly reproduce it. Dialogue -- both human and robotic -- is delivered with a natural tone. Moon's soundtrack may not be the most aggressive or action-packed, but it proves itself time and again to be just as exceptional in its own way.
Moon features a healthy collection of extras, the package headlined by a pair of
commentary tracks. The first features Writer/Director Duncan Jones, Director of Photography
Gary Shaw, Concept Designer Gavin Rothery, and Production Designer Tony Noble. As with many
of the multi-participant commentary tracks, this one can sometimes be more of an incoherent
jumble
than would be a one- or two-man track. Nevertheless, the comments are generally interesting
and enlightening, the quartet discussing various issues as they relate to the making of the film
and the surrounding story, amongst other and lighter observations, comments, and anecdotes
from the set. Writer/Director Duncan Jones and Producer Stuart Fenegan team-up on track two.
A
more balanced and informative track, discussions are generally focused and to-the-point, the
participants speaking on the creation and implementation of GERTY, pointing out scale models
and discussing set location and design, budgetary constraints, shooting in an enclosed set, the
film's themes and plot elements, and much more. Of the two, this track is the one fans with
limited time will want to enjoy. Also included is Whistle, a short film directed by Duncan
Jones (480p, 28:46).
The Making of 'Moon' (480p, 16:18) is a basic, no-frills piece featuring cast and crew
discussing the plot (spoilers included), the challenge of Sam Rockwell's part in the film, the
shooting process, set design, thematic elements, and more. Creating the Visual Effects
(480p, 11:09), as the title implies, examines the construction of the film's effects with Visual
Effects Supervisor Simon Stanley-Clamp. The nature of many of the effects discussed is
connected to major plot points and spoilers. Next is Science Center Q&A With Director
Duncan Jones (1080i, 20:48), a piece featuring the director fielding questions following a
screening of Moon on March 16, 2009 at the Houston Space Center. Filmmaker's
Q&A At the Sundance Film Festival (1080p, 11:15) again features the director answering
audience questions following a screening. Also included is BD-Live functionality;
the Moon theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:08); and additional 1080p trailers for District 9, The
Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day, Michael Jackson's This is
It, Black Dynamite, Zombieland, It Might Get Loud,
The Damned United, Coco Before Chanel,
Snatch, Close Encounters of the Third
Kind, and Blood: The Last
Vampire.
A throwback Science Fiction film that's both wonderfully yet minimally crafted and with a far more complex meaning beneath its simple exterior that slowly rises to the forefront as the picture moves forward, Moon is a spellbinding work of cinematic art that's the antithesis of the big-budget and effects-laden blockbuster, but it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the "less is more" approach still works even in a cinema world that seems to have forgotten the importance of story, theme, and substance over flash, pomp, and volume. Accentuated by a winning performance from Sam Rockwell, superb direction, excellent set design, and a hauntingly effective score, Moon is a must-see picture that hearkens back to the days of cerebral Science Fiction, the film enthralling and not soon forgotten. Sony's Blu-ray release is equally splendid. The disc boasts a practically reference-grade technical presentation and a strong supporting cast of extras. Moon comes strongly recommended.
1968
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Limited Collector's Edition
1976
The George Lucas Director's Cut
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Солярис / Solyaris
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