I have to agree with Vern — the arguement about the implausibility is pretty weak. Considering the cost of sending people into space, the fact that they would have to send someone at least every three years (and more often in case someone wigged out, which is bound to happen eventually if you keep using different people) and the fact that they will never have to pay anyone again could well make the plan financially sound. One big capital investment at the start would mean they never spend another dime on transportation, trainingg or labor. Depending on how cheap the cloning is (and it looks like they would qualify for a bulk discount) and the fact that they look like they intend to let this setup last decades at least, and I think it quite feasible that this could work from a financial standpoint.

And dude — if you’re gonna be so skeptical about science fiction I have no idea how you could enjoy 2001 or SOLARIS eiether. MOON is about as practical and grounded a sci fi film as I am aware of.

but who says they have hundreds of clones, and who says that’s not cheaper than paying a guy to stay on the moon? You said yourself that staying on the moon for three years is fuckin nuts, obviously the only reason to do it would be if they pay you a shitload of money. Like going on a fishing boat in Alaska. And you know, maybe it *is* more expensive to have clones, but they still would rather do that than have a human have to do it. Or train a new one. Who knows?

And I think the robot is very different from HAL, but I went into detail on that in my review so I won’t bore you with that.

You’re right though, it’s no 2001.

Never mind that, Sam Rockwell spends THREE YEARS in space on his own? When Jack Torrance wanted to carve up his family after one winter? That stopped me getting into MOON even before the dumb twist that it would be more cost efficient to create hundreds of clones of one man instead of pay a few guys to do what is, as far as we can tell, an incredibly easy job.

It all felt like the kind of story you come up with aged 11 after seeing 2001 and ALIEN and maybe SOLARIS for the first time. Which maybe it was. Still, Sam Rockwell was great, the music was very ominous and I liked the photography and sets (which were very similar to 2001 and SOLARIS).

People are such twist-nazis today that I think I’d honestly forgotten that a film like this could actually be about character and plot instead of mind-fucking. I think the movie’s about perfect in every way, a real surprise. Its unique, intellectual, and ambitious without being showy, cerebral, or pretentious. Fuck of a job, Zowie! (No, I think this earns him the right to be called “Duncan” if he wants. But think it over before you give up on Zowie, bro!)

And hopefully it will remind people they need to stop fucking around and rent “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” Rockwell’s other other pitch-perfect showpiece performance and a fantastic film in its own right.

Need a reason to review it?? How about this….. http://geekof alltra des.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/zardoz.jpg

Travis, I did start a novel but it’s in no danger of being finished. I thought I was gonna finish it this year as part of my new year’s resolution, but I got totally stuck. I got various unfinished fictional shit I’d like to do but don’t plan to give up on the film books either. Just gotta find the time, which is why I have been checking Craigslist in case this moon job comes up.

On the topic of the “twist that isn’t really a twist but we’re gonna avoid mentioning it” (although saying that I’d say there are a couple of twists, the first sets up the plot, the second reveals the truth of what the corporation are doing to sam up there, which i’d agree with Vern I was’t on top of that till it happened) I really loved the fact that it played out like that. A lot of lesser film makers would have held onto as some big DUNDUNDUN moment but zowie bowie (come on man, it’s your name, none of this duncan jones shit, be honest) realised that it’s far more interesting watching Sam interact with the twist, seeing his reaction and how it affects him. Which I think is what makes it feel like “proper” sci-fi.

I’ll be going to see District 9 next friday in the UK and I’ve gotta say it’s pretty damn amazing that we’ve had two awesome and smart sci-fi films out a month apart. Good times.