Man vs. Self in Moon
Moon, © 2009 - Sony Pictures Classics
It has been a decade since the suspenseful, dramatic and mysterious Sci-Fi Thriller Moon was released in 2009. However, all the themes presented in this Duncan Jones and Nathan Parker penned film are just as relevant today, if not more.
Moon is about a lone employee of a futuristic corporation, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) who is on a lunar mission with only a robot for company. As the movie opens, the audience learns that Sam is nearing the end of a three-year assignment and is excited to be homebound, but things are starting to go wrong.
This film presents the common Sci-Fi themes of fear of the future, isolation, the unknown, and the loss of humanity via Sam's physical loneliness and his concern regarding the uncertainty of his sanity and present danger.
Though one would assume Sam's isolation imposed by his lunar surroundings is the main cause for alarm, it is not the most pressing concern. Though outside forces loom, his most relevant battle is internal. It is with himself.
Moon cleverly manifests the Man vs. Self theme by transforming an internal struggle into an external one as Sam meets himself in clone form. Now he not only has to deal with his own inner state of mind, but with that of younger version of himself.
Things he would like to ignore and leave in the past are now confronting him head-on, and he can't ignore it. Pretending it's not there won't make it go away. Sam must deal with his problems and himself to progress and move forward.
Through his interactions with the clone, we see that Sam's personality changed for the better in his time on the Moon. There is hope that the younger incarnation of Sam can improve and change for the better too. With this, there is a subtle hope for the future and humanity.
Science Fiction as a genre is known for making microcosms of society. Putting a magnifying glass to our state of being, enhancing our flaws, all while behind the thin veil of fantasy. Moon does the same but also goes a step further by increasing the magnification from society to a single individual. Sam is the audience's sample of humanity, and it is his flaws that intensify when the magnified pressure of scrutiny is applied.
Moon, maintains suspense as it continuously makes the audience question everything. In Sci-Fi, viewers are naturally accustomed to being suspicious and wary of technology, especially cognizant A.I. of any kind. However, this film not only makes you question the loyalty of robots, it also makes you question reality and humanity itself. It manifests a range of fears and philosophical questions: "Who am I?" "What am I?" "Why do I exist?" "What is my purpose?" and "What does it mean to be human?"
Though there is fear for the future, there is a sense of hope in the film. Hope will remain as long as Sam retains his humanity and tries to become better, regardless of the incarnation. So though fear is a common theme in Sci-Fi, it is there so hope can have a chance to defeat the odds stacked against it. Hope that is hard sought for is far more satisfying than a fear to become complacent in. This film is a search for truth as well as a journey of self-discovery. Though some realities about oneself and the world can be harsh, there is always hope for the future.
About the Author
Angela M. Thomas is a Writer and lifetime student of the classics and media arts as well as a Co-Founder & Administrator of The WODC.