Moon (2009)
A really enjoyable, interesting, and realistic science fiction film. A masterpiece? No. But a really great directorial debut. I’m definitely going to try and seek out what Duncan Jones has done since.
It pains to me to say this, but… um… maybe don’t? Or at least don’t get your expectations too high.
I haven’t seen Source Code since it came out, but I do remember hating it quite a bit after seeing what he’s capable of in Moon. Warcraft I haven’t forced myself to sit through, I just can’t muster the will. It’s a blockbustery studio flick, though, so it might be perfectly acceptable cinematic fast-food.
Mute is an utter disaster, but this one I feel sympathetic towards. There’s clearly heart and several great films in this disjointed, badly written, often poorly acted, miscast mess. It feels as if just about everything that could’ve gone wrong has gone horribly wrong, except for Clint Mansell who knocks it out of the park again.
I’ve just seen it, so it’s all really loose thoughts at this point, but the failure to do anything with the main character and the thematic thread that’s set up, but never really followed through… at all and then somehow concluded without there being a thematic thread to conclude… completely kills this movie. On that note, the screenplay they filmed feels like a failed initial draft that should’ve been thrown out half-way through writing. It really is that bad. Several decades of polish too many?
In view of the above, Paul Rudd is incredibly grating as the counterpoint to the protagonist (?). He’s focusing on playing against type to the point where he loses track of the movie, it feels like.
And they should’ve gone lighter on the special effects - they’re distractingly terrible. Minor quibble in the grand scheme of things, but annoying given that the worldbuilding is pretty good.
At least it wasn’t boring.